Volleyball: Argentina beats Bulgaria 3-1

Argentina are a victory from qualifying to the quarterfinals of the men’s volleyball tournament after they beat Bulgaria 3-1 yesterday at Earls Court. Russia cut US’ winning run when they defeated them 3-2 in the preliminary round.

The team led by Javier Weber beat the Bulgarian side in four sets by 25-18 21-25 25-19 25-20.

The Argentine side, in Group A, will next take on last-placed Great Britain tomorrow at 12.45pm (Argentine time). Weber’s team are only one victory from clinching a place in the next stage.

Also yesterday, Russia saved a match point to hand defending Olympic champions the United States their first defeat of the tournament when they stormed from two sets down to win in emphatic style.

Russia, bronze medallists at Beijing 2008, clung on at the end of the third set before knocking the stuffing out of the US team in the final two for a 27-29 19-25 26-24 25-16 15-8 victory.

“Throughout the match the team started to wake up and started to play better. They realized they had to serve more aggressively and they did, and that was what changed the game,” David Lee of the US said. “This is definitely a team that we’re going to see later on in this tournament.”

With one game left to play in the group stages of the tournament, the US and Russia lie first and second in Group B and will contest quarterfinals.

Also through are Italy, who moved into third position in Group A when they came back from two sets down in their clash against a young Australian side.

Italy looked under pressure against Australia before coming back from the brink to win 21-25 18-25 25-21 25-14 15-13.

Earlier, Poland made the Earl’s Court volleyball arena their own as an army of supporters roared them on to a 3-0 win over hosts Britain.

Red and white flags were on show in the west London venue and the noisy Polish fans helped the medal-contenders to a 25-16 25-19 25-18 win that put them second behind Bulgaria in Group A.

The pair are assured knockout stages berths.