Sri Lanka spikers go down fighting
SAJEEWA JAYAKODY
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 3 sets to 2 in an on-going 2014 FIVB
Volleyball Men’s World Championship Asian Zone Qualification Tournament
match, played at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, Colombo yesterday.
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Lankan spikers blocking a dash fired by Pakistani player
Jehan Murad. Picture by Ranjith Asanka |
Pakistan won the first set as 25 to 14 with ease showing gallant
display against the host country.
It was a close tussle in the second set as the Lankan spikers stunned
the Pakistani players spotting on some accurate dashes and won it 25-22
to equal 1-1. In the third set, Sri Lanka showed some spectacular play
in their national game winning the third set 25-17 leading 2-1 in the
match.
Pakistan fought back hard to win the fourth set as 26 to 17 and had a
morale boosting situation in the match and edged out the Lankans in the
last and fifth set 15 to 12 to record a resounding win against the host.
In the other match, India completely outplayed Maldives by straight
three sets to nil (3-0) as 25-17, 25-12 and 25-12.
The 2014 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship will be held in
Poland, which has already been selected as the host country. Four
countries are to be qualified from Asia while 20 teams from other
regions, (North Central America and Caribbean [five], South America
[three], Europe [nine places including host country, Poland], Africa
[three], will also qualify for the world cup. Sri Lanka will take on
India in another match at 3pm today while Pakistan will compete with
Maldives from 5pm. |
