Belgium defeat Spain in 2011 CEV European Volleyball Championship qualifiers
Belgium took on Spain in the first match of the 3rd qualification round for 2011 CEV European championship. The arrangements were made in Spanish city, Teruel and both visitor (Belgium) and host teams arrived at the competition hall on 4th September, 2010. The arena was packed with 2600 spectators, mostly Spanish fans, who expected a great performance from their team. Somehow, it turned out to be a bitter experience for the host team as they lost the first qualification match to Belgium.
Belgium pulled off a victory by posting 3-1(25-21, 25-20, 19-25, 25-17) on the scoreboard.
The match was a total punch of fury as it started on a very high note. Spain had the competitive edge of home-court and it seemed fully prepared for the kill. The intense fight started with hard hitting from Spain’s, Garcia-Torres and Sevillano Manuel in the first set. It was a nice try to put pressure on the other side but Belgium had an expert player-line to answer Spain with equally powerful shots. Van Walle started the attack from Belgian court and devastated the opponents with his terrific fast spikes.
Oddly enough, both teams produced terrible serves which lack of power and precision. Somehow, the visitors organised their movement on the court and managed to control the ball. It helped them raise their score and they moved along with a winning spirit. Belgium took a lead in the first set and maintained it by sending sensible shots. Verhanneman of Belgium availed an opportunity to hit two perfect aces which paved their way to the victory in the first set.
It was quite embarrassing for the host team as they demonstrated poor-play. The second set started with huge pressure on Spain. On the other hand, first set victory allowed Belgium to continue with the same momentum. Spain failed to gain control in the game and couldn’t work out point-scoring shots. In the Belgian squad, Verhannerman’s action started again and he offered a full demonstration of fascinating volleyball. The tricky hits by Verhanneran created a lot of trouble for Spain. The second set became successful for Belgium and they dismissed Spain at 25-20.
The fired-up Spaniards pulled hard on the third set and took an early lead of 5-1. The head coach was finally happy with the progress of his team. Saucedo and Subiela joined the team in the third set and contributed to the team’s score. Saucedo was specially called for his defence techniques and he proved his talent. Belgium already had two sets in hand and played the third set with a moderate tone. In the meantime, Spain put more effort and extended their lead. Ultimately the home-crowd got a chance to celebrate Spain’s victory in the third set.
The game entered the fourth set and tension prevailed in the lobby. Spain had the utmost urge to win a fourth set and bring the game to a tie-break while Belgium had decided to put an end to the game. Both teams struggled to earn points with every possibility and they moved in the court with gauged steps. One mistake could have changed the total game scenario. Belgium’s attackers found opposition from the rival side.
Spain was more focused on the defence area and they blocked many good shots by Belgian spikers. Spain’s team exhibited better gamesmanship but it was not enough to overcome Belgium. Van Walle of Belgium finished the fifth set with a killing spike in the 104th minute of the game. The final victory was captured by Belgium and the team earned a clear lead in the third round qualifier for the next European Championship in 2011.
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