29/02/2016 15:37
Russian ‘Lions’ vie for second win over French champions
2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Men
Belgorod, Russia, February 29, 2016. On Wednesday, March 2 the Sports Palace Cosmos in Belgorod will host the return match of the 2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League Playoffs 12 between the home team Belogorie BELGOROD and France’s TOURS VB. In the first match played in Tours two weeks ago the ‘Lions’ from Belgorod routed the French champions, cruising to a straight-sets win.
The Russian giants efficiently executed their tactical plans to stop TOURS VB leading players and come back home with an important win. After the match TOURS VB coach Vital Heynen had just to confirm that he didn’t know how to find a recipe to fight against Russian superstar Dmitriy Muserskiy.
However, the undisputed leader of TOURS VB for many years already, Czech opposite David Konecny, promised that his team will travel to Belgorod to play in a completely different way and give a good fight to Belogorie.
TOURS VB are travelling to Belgorod after a win in their national league. In the last round they defeated in straight sets the team of Narbonne, and Ludovic Castard became the best scorer for his team in that match with 19 points.
Belogorie BELGOROD are waiting for this vital encounter in a good mood as well. Last Saturday the ‘Lions’ hosted Gazprom-Ugra SURGUT who were the second-ranked team of the Russian Superleague at that moment and who are also contesting the Challenge Round of the 2016 CEV Volleyball Cup - Men. Nevertheless, Belogorie triumphed in the end with a 3-1 win.
Everyone in Belgorod realises that TOURS VB is coming to fight for a spot in the Playoffs 6 of Europe’s elite competition and the French players will try to do their best to succeed. That is why the coaching staff - Gennady Shipulin and Vadim Khamuttskikh - prepare their players for a hard day as the second match is to decide the only one who will make it to the next round.
TOURS VB need a three-point win to call for a golden set. Belogorie, on the other hand, can win with any score or even lose at the tie-break. But of course the team of BELGOROD in front of their home crowd will do their best to extend their winning streak on the European stage.
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