Volleyball Club World Championships 2023: Itambe Minas fights back to pip Suntory Sunbirds to reach finals

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Bengaluru, Dec 9: Brazil's Itambe Minas demonstrated resilience by twice recovering from a set deficit to eliminate Japan's Suntory Sunbirds, securing a place in the Volleyball Men's Club World Championships final against defending champions Sir Sicoma Perugia.

Michael Sanchez (27 points) and Marcus Coelho (18 points) played pivotal roles in Minas' victory, overcoming a late resurgence from the Sunbirds to win 22-25, 25-22, 28-30, 25-20, 17-15 on their fourth match point.

Initially struggling with errors in the first two sets, Minas, who had finished fourth in the previous edition, appeared destined for the third and fourth-place play-off. However, the team found a higher gear in the later stages of the match, captivating the audience at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium.

India, hosting the prestigious club championships for the first time, witnessed a thrilling encounter between Minas and Sunbirds. The two teams, now set to compete for the bronze medal against Turkey's Halkbank Spor Kulubu, battled closely throughout the five sets, with momentum swinging based on point streaks and errors.

In the opening set, the teams remained evenly matched until Sunbirds took the lead with the help of libero Soshi Fujinaka and Russian Opposite Dmitriy Muserskiy. Minas, displaying more attacking intent in the second set, overcame serving issues to level the scores.

The third set followed a similar pattern, with Minas holding the advantage, but they faced challenges in converting set points. In a crucial moment, with their backs against the wall, Minas elevated their performance, with players like Renan Moralez and Paulo delivering powerful serves.

Despite establishing a lead in the final set, Minas faced resistance from Sunbirds, who forced extra points. Ultimately, a spike error from Muserskiy on the third match point secured Minas' victory.

The tournament will go on till December 10 at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru. Ahmedabad Defenders will find themselves in Pool A, facing the defending champions, Sir Sicoma Perugia from Italy, and Brazil's Minas Tênis Clube (Itambé Minas). In Pool B, Halkbank Spor Kulübü from Turkey, Sada Cruzeiro Volei from Brazil, and Japan's Suntory Sunbirds are grouped.

The Men's Volleyball Club World Championships 2023 will be telecast live in India on Sony Sports Network across Sony Ten 1 & Sony Ten 3 channels and the broadcast will be shown globally on Volleyball World. Fans in India can also stream the tournament online on FanCode.