Argentina averted disaster after squandering a two-set lead against France in the FIVB Men’s World Championship. Argentina is moving on to the Round of 16.
Luciano De Cecco has seemingly done it all for Argentina, save for one thing: a World Championship.
But De Cecco, whose national team career at 18 years old, inched closer to that after Argentina stunned back-to-back Olympic champion France, 28-26, 25-23, 21-25, 20-25, 15-12 in the FIVB Men’s World Championship on Thursday, September 18.
[ALSO READ: Argentina setter Luciano De Cecco aims for glory in sixth FIVB World Championship run]
Argentina is moving on to the Round of 16 as the top seed in Pool C with an immaculate 3-0 win-loss record.
“I have such a high respect for France. We know we need to put a lot of energy, effort, and mentality to win,” said the 37-year-old setter.
[ALSO READ: Argentina sustains dominance, dumps Olympic champ France to top Pool C in FIVB MWCH]
While De Cecco made sure to steady the ship after France threatened to pull off a reverse sweep, it was Luciano Vicentin who spearheaded Argentina’s attack with 21 points, including the game-winner.
Luciano Palonsky backstopped Vicentin with 17 points, including a powerful smash that went straight to the face of Theo Faure for a 13-11 lead in the fifth set.
Nicolas Zerba then made a big block which set things up for Vicentin’s down-the-line shot.
Agustin Loser Bruno had 12 points, while Pablo Kukartsev added 10 markers.
Despite such firepower coming from all cylinders, De Cecco knew a France retaliation was imminent even after winning the first two sets.
Still, Argentina simply didn’t have enough to contain Trevor Clevenot, Faure, Yacine Louati, who led the French revolution from the third frame onwards.
“France have a lot of player who can go inside and change the game,” De Cecco said.
In the end, it was De Cecco and La Selección who prevailed and moved on the the next phase beginning on Saturday, September 20 at the MOA Arena in Pasay.
Clevenot paced France with 16 points, while Faure had 13 markers.
—
Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.