Cuba to advance second round in FIVB World Championship

Cuba´s men volleyball team will participate with a young group of players in the 2014 FIVB World Championship to be held in Poland. The event will take place from August 30^th to September 21^st. Cuba´s goal is to play good volleyball and qualify for the second round.

Before departing to Poland, via Amsterdam, Cuban DT Rodolfo Sanchez said to RHC “our goal is to advance to the second round and once there, play hard every game”.

Sanchez led the team to the title in the FIVB Pan American Cup held in Mexico. He pointed out that his players are “much better now” than they were at the World League.

“Players have proven themselves to be better and they are ready to play very well”, explained Rodolfo Sanchez. In the list of 12 players, there are 3 veterans from past World Championship held in Italy where Cuba ended runner-up: opposite attacker and Captain Rolando Cepeda, central Isbel Mesa, and libero Keibel Gutierrez. Two youngsters who were not at Pan American Cup are also in the team: Abraham Alfonso and Ricardo Calvo.

The DT regarded as “fundamental” Monday´s game versus Finland and released the starting line-up: veteran Cepeda and Mesa, rookies Osmany Uriarte, Leandro Macías, Javier Jiménez and David Fiel. “They have more competitive experience. We hope it works out”, Sanchez highlighted while noting an improvement in the “reception” category.

On the other hand, Captain Cepeda pointed that it will be a very “strong” competition. He also said they have “trained well”. Central Mesa warned “we are one and we played with better cohesion”.

Twenty four countries participate in the World Championship and Cuba is going to play in Pool B along with current champion Brazil, Germany, South Korea, Tunisia, and Finland.

Poland and Serbia will be the opening match this Saturday.

Cubasi Translation Staff