The German Volleyball Crime is a sensation
It's a big fight that the German volleyball team is putting up against the USA. They are already two sets behind, but they fight their way into the tie-break, only to not reward themselves. Despite this, there's still everything to play for in their Olympic return.
Georg Grozer and co. quickly brushed off the disappointment of a thrilling 2:3 loss to the USA, immediately vowing on the court to face Argentina in the group finale - they'll play the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalists on Friday for a spot in the quarterfinals.
"This is a real final now, and that's what makes it the most fun," said middle blocker Anton Brehme. Despite the narrow loss to the three-time Olympic champions, the DVV team can look forward to their first "final," as their form is strong. "I think with this performance, we can still cause a lot of trouble for many teams," said captain Lukas Kampa.
Passion, will, hunger: With a performance like this, Grozer and co. have a chance against the South Americans too, as they once again demonstrated their incredible comeback abilities against the USA. "We've taken a point, which is very important in this group," said star player Grozer.
Still a Chance for the Quarterfinals
The Germans fought their way back from a 0:2 deficit in their second preliminary round match and could have dreamt of a second win in a row. In the end, however, it was 2:3 (21:25, 17:25, 25:17, 25:20, 11:15) after 1:51 hours. "I'm proud that we've shown that morale again," said Kampa.
After the surprising opening win against world No. 2 Japan (3:2), the German team struggled to find a way against the USA's powerful attacking game, with Matthew Anderson exploiting the gaps in the German defense with his outstanding spikes. The 37-year-old finished with 14 points, while Torey Defalco contributed 18 for the USA's second straight win.
On the other hand, the team of coach Michal Winiarski couldn't impose their game until later in the match, with Grozer and Kampa not having their best day. In the end, they ran out of steam. Nevertheless, the German team still has a chance to reach the quarterfinals in their Olympic return after 12 years. They'll face Argentina in the "final" of group C on Friday (9 am/ntv.de live ticker). Only the top two teams from the three groups qualify for the knockout round, along with the two best third-placed teams.
The Olympic Games 2024 in Paris might serve as a new motivation for the German volleyball team, as they aim to improve their performance after a tough preliminary round. Despite the narrow losses, their form and comeback abilities have been impressive, promising potential troubles for other teams.
Regardless of the outcome in group C, the German team will have another opportunity to showcase their skills in the Olympic return, generating hopes for a strong performance in future tournaments, such as the Olympic Games 2024.
