SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2019 16 Italy, Iran to clash for title Italy and Iran advance into the finals of FIVB U21 World Championship TDT | Manama YESTERDAY’S RESULTS taly and Iran are set to face off for SEMI-FINALS the gold medals in the FIVB Volley- Italy bt Russia 3-1 (24-26, 25-19, 25-22, 25-21) Iball Men’s U21 World Champion- Iran bt Brazil 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-17) ship 2019, being held in Bahrain. The Italians barged into the tour- CLASSIFICATION 5 TO 8 nament final following a come-from- China bt Bahrain 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-18) behind 3-1 (24-26, 25-19, 25-22, 25-21) Argentina bt Korea 3-0 (29-27, 25-21, 25-21) victory over Russia yesterday, while CLASSIFICATION 9 TO 12 the Iranians booked their berth with a stunning 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-17) sweep Cuba bt Canada 3-0 (25-19, 28-26, 25-19) of Brazil. Czech Republic bt Poland 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, Italy and Iran have been two of the 19-25, 25-20, 15-9) best teams in the competition, although CLASSIFICATION 13 TO 16 the Iranians were underdogs heading Egypt bt Morocco 3-1 (25-20, 18-25, 25-19, 25-22) into their match-up with their Brazilian Tunisia bt Puerto Rico 3-2 (25-22, 25-18, 23-25, counterparts. 26-28, 15-12) The title-decider today is scheduled to take place at 7pm at Shaikh Isa Sports TODAY’S SCHEDULE City in Riffa. It will be the final game of a packed schedule on the competition’s 10am: Morocco vs Puerto Rico (for 15-16), concluding day. All are welcome to at- Bahrain vs Korea (for 7-8) tend. Entrance is free of charge. 12.30pm: Egypt vs Tunisia (for 13-14), China vs Prior to the gold medal contest, Argentina (for 5-6) the match for third place will be held 3pm: Canada vs Poland (for 11-12), Russia vs at 3pm at the same venue. The Rus - Brazil (Bronze Medal Game) sians and Brazilians will be looking 5.30pm: Cuba vs Czech Republic (for 9-10) to bounce back from their semi-final 7pm: Italy vs Iran (Gold Medal Game) losses with a place on the podium at s take. Bahrain’s Sayed Mohamed Alabbar attacks the double block of China Also today, final classification games will be played from 10am onwards. after their victory: “It’s a great feeling! in double-figures with 10 points. 13. Bahrain team captain Mahmood Argentina coach Martin Lopez com- Among those matches will be Bahrain I am happy for the players, they deserve Iran head coach Ataei Nouri Behrouz Abdulhusain led his troops with 13 mented: “The strength of this team is playing for seventh position against this. said: “This semi-final match is very dif- markers as the home team’s only player that we can mostly change our play Korea, following the Bahrainis’ loss to “Today, we also tried to think about ficult. The two teams are both strong. in double-figures. based on the strategy of our rivals. We China yesterday. victory, but we have to think about it My players maintained good mentality China coach Liu Hao commented: will be playing for the fifth place tomor- In the final four, Russia were the tomorrow. The gold medal is something in the match. They were able to utilise “Bahrain is a good team, and they gave row, because we were able to strategize early aggressors in their match with that we aim for all our life, because information about our tactics. They us much pressure, especially in the first against some teams, while we failed Italy and they took the first set. Things this moment may come only once in a gave a very good performance, which set. They defend very well. with the others. This is also the reality changed quickly, however, once the lifetime.” made the other team commit many “All throughout this competition, our of this team.” Italians got into their groove and they In Iran’s triumph, they came out of mistakes. players’ abilities and technical skills In the classification groups, Cuba strung together the next three sets for the gate firing on all cylinders, and they “This is the first time for Iran to be have improved. We became better as will face the Czech Republic for ninth the resounding victory. never gave their opponents a chance to in the final of the U21 group. I prom- a team.” place overall. The Cubans defeated The victors had the edge in attack get into the fight. ise, tomorrow, we will all play good On his part, Abdulhusain said: Canada 3-0 (25-19, 28-26, 25-19), while (48-42) and block (12-11), while also The Iranians were particularly dom- volleyball.” “China is a good team, and one of the the Czechs needed to go the maximum being gifted 32 points on their oppo- inant in serve, outscoring Brazil 9-0. In the classification group for fifth to best in Asia. They play well. Mean - to overcome fellow-European side Po- nents’ errors. They also were superior in attack (37- eighth, Bahrain lost to China 0-3 (23-35, while, we know we are a good team, land in a five-setter (25-20, 22-25, 19-25, Francesco Recine spearheaded It- 30), block (5-3) and had more points on 18-25, 18-25). but today we made mistakes. Our 25-20, 15-9). aly with 18 points in the game while the opposing side’s errors (22-18). The Bahrainis had a solid start as they team needs to prepare better for this Egypt set up a clash with fellow-Afri- Kristian Gamba added 15. Maksim Porya Yali top scored for the victors kept China within striking distance for kind of situation so we can improve cans Tunisia for 13th place overall. The Sapozhkov had 29 to lead Russia, but with 18 points, while skipper Amirhos- much of the first set, but in the final two more.” Egyptians defeated Morocco 3-1 (25-20, he alone could not lift them past their sein Esfandiar added 14 and Morteza could not keep up. In the same division, Argentina beat 18-25, 25-19, 25-22), while Tunisia over- rivals. Sharifi 10. Brazil’s Victor Aleksander Chengcheng Xiu top scored for China Korea 3-0 (29-27, 25-21, 25-21) and they came a tough Puerto Rico challenge 3-2 Italy head coach Monica Cresta said Almeida Cardoso was their only player with 14 points, while Dejun Zhai added will now meet the Chinese for fifth. (25-22, 25-18, 23-25, 26-28, 15-12). England bowl out Ireland for 38 to seal victory Bernal on verge of Tour AFP | London But when the match resumed de France triumph the overcast conditions -- the ngland bowled Ireland out floodlights were switched on -- AFP | Tignes, France Efor just 38 to win their one- made conditions ideal for seam- off Test at Lord’s by 143 runs ers Woakes and Broad. gan Bernal snatched the yesterday, emphatically crush- The cascade of wickets in Eoverall lead on the Tour ing the visitors’ hopes of a stun- an innings where only opener de France yesterday after stage ning upset. James McCollum made it into 19 was abandoned in a massive Ireland, playing only their double figures began when hail storm with the Team Ine- third Test, were chasing just 182 Woakes had Ireland captain os rider now poised to become runs to complete what would William Porterfield caught be- the first Colombian to win cy- have been one of the biggest hind by wicketkeeper Jonny cling’s greatest prize. upsets in cricket history. Bairstow for two. The stage will have no of- But they did not get close, Andy Balbirnie, who top- ficial winner, but the yellow lasting just 94 balls as Chris scored with 55 in Ireland’s first jersey goes to Bernal as he Egan Bernal (C) celebrates his overall Woakes took a career-best six innings total of 207, fell next crossed the day’s penultimate leader’s yellow jersey on the podium wickets for 17 runs and Stuart England’s Chris Woakes (C) celebrates with team mates after taking the wicket when he edged Broad to Root summit first and was racing Broad returned figures of 4-19 . at first slip. downhill with Simon Yates race should he hold on over Their second innings score learning. We’ll take a lot from Thompson. Kevin O’Brien, who hit the when the pair were told of the 33km climb to today’s sum- was the seventh-lowest total of this game.” Rain delayed the scheduled quickest World Cup century the danger ahead. The road to mit finish in the Alps with just all time. Ireland, playing England for 1000 GMT start by a few minutes when Ireland beat England at Tignes was buried in hail and Sunday’s procession into Paris “I knew that was a lot of runs the first time in a Test, have now but any hopes England had of Bangalore in 2011 and made a rubble from a landslide. to follow. (to make) on that surface,” said lost all three of their Tests fol- adding to their overnight total hundred in their inaugural Test “It’s a big day tomorrow and He also became the 270th Root, whose side mustered just lowing losses to Pakistan and evaporated when Thompson’s at home to Pakistan last year, I haven’t won the Tour yet.