Argentina grabbed the last vacancy in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship semifinals in Bahrain by winning the direct duel with Brazil for the second place in Pool F in Manama on Thursday. They will face Iran in one of Saturday’s semifinals. In the other Italy will take on Bulgaria.

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Pool E

Poland made sure they finish Pool E on a high note, with their first win. The youth world champions from two years ago produced a convincing 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-18) shutout of Thailand to take the third place in the final pool standings and leave the Asians winless bottom of the table. Both teams will move on to the semifinals in the second foursome, which will distribute the places from fifth to eighth in the final World Championship standings. Polish opposite Aliaksei Nasevich aced four times towards a match-high 18 points. Piotr Sliwka and captain Jakub Olszewski signed off with 10 points each. On the Thai side, Kittipong Sangsak and Jakkrit Thanomnoi scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Iran topped the Pool E final standings unbeaten and handed Bulgaria their first defeat of the tournament. In the last match of the pool, the bronze medallists of the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship managed a 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23) victory over the silver medallists of the youth event. Both teams, however, will continue to the semifinals in quest of more hardware. Iran’s better blocking (14 stuffs against seven) was key to their success on Thursday. Five of their kill blocks were authored by opposite Amir Mohammad Golzadeh within a total tally of 21 points. Mobin Nasri Mastanabad, on the other hand, produced five aces towards a match tally of 16 points. Bulgarian captain Aleksandar Nikolov did one better. With six aces towards a match-high 23 points, the rising star was the best scorer of the game.

Pool F

In a hard-fought five-set battle, Italy, who had already secured their spot among the semifinalists, celebrated a 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 25-19, 16-25, 15-9) victory over Belgium, who had already lost their chances of making it to the best four. With this result, the defending U21 world champions topped the final Pool F standings unbeaten and left the winless Belgians bottom fourth. Belgium will move on to the race for the distribution of the places from fifth to eighth. While they did better than Italy in offence and in serving, it was the blocking and the unforced errors that tilted the outcome Italy’s way. Belgium’s Basil Dermaux was on fire to emerge as by far the best scorer of the match with 32 points, including two aces and a block. Belgian captain Ferre Reggers added another 19 points, while Italy’s leading scorer Alessandro Bovolenta finished with 15, including two aces and two blocks.

In the deciding clash between the two South American archrivals, Argentina were well in control for the most part of the match and managed to win it in straight sets. Outplaying the opponents on all counts, but the attack, the Argentineans mastered a 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18) victory and booked their ticket to the semis. While Brazilian middle blocker Maicon dos Santos Franca was the best scorer of the match on 16 points, including two stuffs, opposite German Gomez and outside hitter Lucas Conde led the winners with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

2023 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship: full schedule and results

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