After 5 victories comes Italy’s first defeat in the Nations League. In Macao, Brazil emerged victorious after 5 sets of great entertainment and some regrets for the Italians. It ends 3-2 (26-24, 25-27, 18-25, 25-19, 15-10), with 29 points from Egonu and 15 from Danesi. the Italians were leading 2-1 and 15-11 in the fourth set, before suffering a comeback from Zé Roberto’s team. “It’s the first week together – commented Myriam Sylla -, we have to stay together, so we will grow. We started 2-10 down in the first set, then we joined hands and managed to get to the fifth set”.
the match
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The Italians start very badly, suffering a heavy partial: after a few minutes Brazil is already 9-2. The reaction of the Italians arrives, with Danesi and Sylla as protagonists, a block from Orro on Ana Cristina makes it 24 all, then two errors give Brazil the partial. It’s also a battle in the second set, with the Italians struggling until 12-16, before raising the wall. From 24-22 Ze Roberto’s team goes back up to 24 all, but first Antropova and then a block from Sylla give the tie. Everything went downhill in the third set, with the attack moving and the reception more regulated.
Italy rose to a plus-4 lead in the fourth set, before succumbing to the blows of Gabi and Ana Cristina who turned the match around until the victory in the fifth set. scored a heavy partial and gave Brazil a 25-19 lead. In the tie-break Italy still managed to keep their head ahead until 5-4, then another Brazil comeback again signed by Gabi and Ana Cristina. The Italians’ second week of the Nations League ends tomorrow with the match against China (1.30pm).
