The Chinese women's volleyball team secured its qualification for the Nations League semifinals after a surprising victory over the United States this Thursday (23), in Macau. By defeating the American team 3 sets to 2, China upset the leader of the first phase and established itself as the biggest underdog of this edition of the tournament.
Despite finishing the qualifying phase in ninth place, China earned the right to compete in the quarterfinals by being the host country for the decisive stage. The match against the Americans was marked by a comeback, with scores of 25/15, 23/25, 20/25, 25/17, and 13/15, ensuring the Asians' advancement to the next phase.
China's next challenge will be next Saturday (25), at 8:30 AM (Brasília time), against Turkey. The Turkish team also advanced after beating Canada 3 sets to 1. With this result, China is now seeking a spot in the championship's grand final.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian women's volleyball team awaits the start of the semifinals to face Italy. The duel between the two teams is scheduled for Saturday (25), at 5:00 AM (Brasília time), being the opening game of the decisive phase.
Italy, the current champion and leader of the world ranking, arrives for the match after beating the Netherlands 3 sets to 0. The duel is seen as a major challenge for the Brazilians, who are seeking their first title in the competition and have already faced the Italians in a direct confrontation in the first phase of this edition.
Brazil reaches the semifinals after beating Japan 3 sets to 1, in a match held on Wednesday (22). With the result, the team led by José Roberto Guimarães positions itself among the top four in the tournament, seeking to overcome European hegemony and win the trophy.
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