China eye 10th title as they enter semis
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Title-holders China moved a step closer to winning their 10th Asian crown after blitzing unfancied Kazakhstan in comfortable straight sets 25-12 25-4 25-16 in the quarter-finals of the Chang 16th Asian Junior Women's U20 Volleyball Championship.
China, the world No 1 and the only team yet to lose a set in the 16-team championship, yesterday became the first Asian team to clinch a berth to contest in the FIVB World Junior Women’s Championship in Czech Republic next year. Only top four teams (all semi-finalists) from this Asian Championship will be eligible for the world meet. China finished third at the world meet in Peru last year.
“We were stronger than Kazakhstan. We won the match easily. We had beaten Japan in the Pool F play-offs earlier and I hope my girls can repeat the feat in the semi-finals,” said China’s head coach Xu Jiande.
“I’m confident that my team will advance to the final and beat our rivals. We had toured Europe for friendly matches against national junior teams of Germany, Belgium and Italy and we beat them all. I’m quite confident that my team will fare well here,” he added.
Meanwhile, former five-time winners Japan claimed the second berth for the world meet with a stunning 3-1 (25-18 17-25 25-19 25-23) victory over South Korea. The other match saw Taiwan tame Iran in straight sets 25-17 25-16 25-17 to secure the third world berth.
Thailand were due to take on India in the late match to decide the fourth berth for the world meet. The odds are in favour of the hosts recording a victory over India.
In the 9th-16th play-offs, Sri Lanka outclassed Turkmenistan 3-0 (25-15 25-17 25-22), Mongolia thrashed Kuwait 3-0 (25-6 25-2 25-7), while Vietnam beat New Zealand 3-2 (25-22 25-14 22-25 20-25 15-5).
The today’s semi-finals see China take on Japan and Taiwan challenge the winners between Thailand and India. Kazakhstan join Iran, South Korea for the 5th-8th play-offs.
