Defending champions Serbia face Brazil in FIVB Women’s World champs final

FIVB Women’s World Champions Serbia are set to play Brazil as the former look to defend the title they won in 2018 for a second gong.

After 12 years, Brazil will have another opportunity to fight for their first world title as the South Americans tumbled reigning Volleyball Nations League (VNL) and European champions Italy to make it to the final.

Playing in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, Brazil defeated the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Ranking leaders for the second time in the tournament, securing a 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 26-24, 25-19) semifinal triumph that set the floor for a gold medal match encounter with defending champions Serbia.

Set to make their fourth World Championship gold medal match appearance, the Brazilians took silver in 1994, 2006 and 2010 and also secured bronze in 2014. In 2018, they finished seventh.

Blocking was a big part of the Brazilian success against the Italians. The team coached by Jose ‘Ze Roberto’ Guimaraes ended the match with 21 stops against just seven from their opponents. The Italians, who were better in kills (67 to 56) and aces (four to zero), also made more errors, generating 21 points for the Brazilians, who made just 13.

“I am so proud of my team, they are the best,” Ana Carolina 'Carol' da Silva reacted. “We came to the World Championship with the goal of playing in the final and we took it one step at a time. Italy are one of the best teams in the world and it was a big challenge to face them now, but we knew we could do it. I’m so happy and so proud of my team.

Now we have 12 hours to celebrate and we’ll start preparing for Serbia. We’ll play with our hearts and our minds. We want so much to win and it would be very special if we did it.”

On Wednesday Daniele Santarelli’s Serbia had stayed on track to defending their title and progressed to Saturday’s final of the after mastering a 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 17-25, 25-23) semifinal victory over Olympic champions United States at Arena Gliwice in Poland.

It is the second time the southern European nation will play in a World Championship final, after winning the first one four years ago in Japan, while the Americans will try to make it to their sixth podium by winning the bronze medal match on Saturday in the Netherlands.

Serbia’s star opposite and captain Tijana Boskovic had another fabulous performance on the court and produced the match high of 33 points, including a kill block. Her 32 spiking points came at a success rate of 59%. Outside hitter Bianka Busa contributed another 15 points to the victory.

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