:strip_icc()/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_bc8228b6673f488aa253bbcb03c80ec5/internal_photos/bs/2021/q/O/B0dR5EQmGwg4lBWqDBtQ/2021-08-05t050524z-1462708501-sp1eh850e4wx2-rtrmadp-3-olympics-2020-vvo-m-team6-sfnl-000100.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "Brazil takes Russia’s turn and sees gold’s dream collapse in men’s volleyball | olympics")
The sour taste in his throat for a moment seemed to vanish. It was a perfect start, one of the best so far. Gradually, however, everything fell apart again. Entitled to an inexplicable turn in the third set, after having 12/20 on the scoreboard, Brazil fell to Russia in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics. In 3 sets to 1, partial 18/25, 25/21, 26/24 and 25/23, he said goodbye to the dream of the fourth Olympic gold. After four consecutive finals, he’ll have to settle for the bronze fight.
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Brazil will seek the bronze against the loser of the other semifinal, between France and Argentina, at 1 am on Saturday. Russia, on the other hand, is expecting rivals in the fight for gold.
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Brazil x ROC – men’s volleyball semifinal — Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
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Russia plays under the name of ROC because of the punishment imposed for the doping scandal in the country’s sport. You can’t wear a name, flag or anything that reminds you of your nation – even though the red on your uniform doesn’t hide it. It was the third victory in a row for the Russians against the Brazilians, the second in the Olympics – in the qualifying phase, they also got the better of it.
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Brazil started with a perfect first set. The domain began to crumble from the second set, but it was in the third that everything fell apart. The team was winning by 12/20 and seemed to walk calmly towards victory when the Russians started to grow again. They fit the serve, started defending everything and knocked the team down on the way to the final
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Leal, in his best game at the Olympics, finished with 18 points. Lucão, another standout, had 13. On the other side, Mikhaylov, with 22, was the big name of the match. Kliuka, 15, and Podlesnykh, who started very well in the third set, also led Russia to the decision.
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The turn suffered in the third set is the biggest in Olympic history since Brazil established itself as a power in world volleyball. In 2012, also against the Russians, he even got his hands on gold in London, but took the turn in the third set after winning the first two and having 21/18 on the scoreboard.
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1st set – In perfect partial, wide selection in front
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Wallace had to bend his body backwards and, with a light touch, push the ball to the Russian floor. The answer was immediate. Volvich climbed into the net and filled his hand with the ball to nail the Brazilian court. Unlike previous matches, Brazil tried to face their rivals on the basis of technique. The way seemed to be to avoid the Russian wall with a more technical attack. That’s how Lucarelli made the selection open 4/2 at the start.
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Brazil x ROC – men’s volleyball semifinal — Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
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Brazil was playing a good game at that time. Maurício Souza, in a blockade, made the score go up to 13/10. At that time, the selection had in defense its biggest differential from previous games against rivals. Everything seemed to work. A block from Lucão made the advantage score 21/14. Lucarelli, on the serve, increased soon after. The path to victory in the partial was defined. In the Russians’ serve error, 25/18 in the best performance of the team in the Games so far.
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2nd set – Russia grows, Brazil slows down and draws game
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Russia tried to close the gap inside the court on the return. Volkov, with a bang, got the Russians to open 4/1 right away. It wasn’t that simple anymore. Russia started to use the same Brazilian tactic. Faced with the strong defense that Brazil imposed until then, the Russians tried to change tactics, alternating strength and technique. At that point, they also started to defend. Is very. With the score at 5/10, Renan stopped the game for the second time in the partial.
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Brazil x ROC – men’s volleyball semifinal — Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
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The team tried to fight back. But after a long rally, Leal stopped at the Russian blockade. Rivals fired: 14/7. By then, Renan had already sent Alan to the court in place of Wallace. And it was with an ace of the opposite that the selection tried to start to react, making the difference in the score drop to 15/10. Shortly after, Leal, also on serve, reduced the disadvantage to just three points. Reaction, however, stopped there. Mikhaylov kept the lead of the rivals towards the draw: 25/21.
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3rd set – Brazil opens eight points, but suffers an inexplicable turn
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Iaklovev, with a shot, opened the account in the second set. But Leal and Lucão, with an ace, soon put the team ahead. There, Brazil hit the mark in the blockade and returned to be efficient in attack. With a shot from Leal, it opened 9/6. The selection regained control of the game. Lucarelli flew from behind to fill his hand and open 13/9.
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It was the password for Brazil to accelerate. Maurício Souza, in ace, opened 12/18. Wallace, with a shot, made the ball explode in the Russian defense to further extend the advantage. But the Russians went for it. The score was 12/20. Despite the eight points away on the scoreboard, they came to an inexplicable turn. Brazil still saved a set point, but fell after a rival blockade on Lucarelli: 26/24.
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4th set – Russia ignores Brazil’s reaction and goes to the final
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It was necessary to react. Faced with a fall suffered in the previous part, the team returned to the court willing to resurrect. But, on the other side, Russia didn’t care. Brazil even rehearsed a reaction by tying the score in 15/15. Returned to fall behind after mistakes in sequence. In Pankov’s ace, the Russians opened 18/15. But the team searched once more. Didn’t want to surrender. Got ahead for the first time in a while after an outward attack from rivals. But it was the team’s last breath. Russia regained the lead and stamped the spot in the final: 25/23.
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