Team USA And Brazil Will Face Off For WGCC Silver. Day 5 Preview

2017 WORLD GRAND CHAMPIONS CUP – WOMEN’S

Team USA x Brazil

One match is bound to decide who wins the silver medals at the 2017 FIVB Women’s World Grand Champions Cup in Japan. As USA and Brazil meet each other on the last competition day in Nagoya, the winner of their encounter will end up runner-up to the new champs China.

They most recently met at in an official match in the 2017 World Grand Prix, when Brazil won 3-1. Also, in 2016, these teams played the World Grand Prix final in which Brazil won in five sets. If we were to take friendlies into consideration, though, they met twice recently in two friendlies for the USAV Cup, where they split the two games.

Team USA has won their last three matches at the Grand Champions Cup after losing their first, against China, who have won the tournament. Two of these last three matches were five setters. Brazil came into the 2017 World Grand Champions Cup as title holders (2013) and as winners of the 2017 World Grand Prix and the South American Championship. In those last competitions, though, most of Brazil’s opponents didn’t carry their full rosters. With Team USA in almost full potential, the Americans are the favorites for the silver medal.

To get the win, Team USA will have to deal with the offense prowess of Tandara Caixeta, the tournament’s leading scorer, fifth most effective spiker, and second best server. They will also have to find a way through Ana Beatriz Correa‘s and Ana Carolina da Silva‘s blocking game, as they are 1-2 in the block statistics. Meanwhile, Brazil will have to find an answer for Jordan Larson, who is showing a beautiful defensive game in the tournament, being its second best digger and fifth best receiver.

China x Japan

China has already secured the title and the gold medals at the tournament. The game won’t be an empty deal, however, as besides the continetal rivalry between both teams, a win might give Japan a podium spot and the bronze. These teams most recently met at the 2017 World Grand Prix, when China won 3-1.

To put China’s title into context, they have won the World Grand Champions Cup for the second time after 2001, when they won all five matches. China joined Brazil (2012 Olympic champions and 2013 World Grand Champions Cup winners) as the only reigning Olympic champions to win the World Grand Champions Cup. China now holds three global volleyball trophies at the same time: 2017 World Grand Champions Cup, 2016 Olympic Games, 2015 World Cup.

Russia x Korea

Both Russia and Korea have lost any chances at winning medals at the tournament. Their most recent meeting came at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Russia won 3-1 in the preliminary round. Russia greatly underachieved during the tournament. However, Korea’s performance was even poorer. Ditto, Korea never brought to the WGCC competitive teams. For refence, their last win was a 3-2 victory against Thailand in 2009. This is also the last match in which they won a set. No team in the history of the WGCC has ever lost all five matches without claiming a single set, but the Koreans are due to be the first.