Just more than halfway through the first-round games in the FIVB Women’s World Championships in Japan, there are just six undefeated teams left in the 24-team field and the United States, Russia, Italy and China have already clinched berths in the second round.
The standings so far:
∙ Pool A:
1. Netherlands (3-0); 2. Japan (2-1); 3. Germany (2-1); 4. Mexico (1-2); 5. Cameroon (1-2); 6. Argentina (0-3).
∙ Pool B:
1. Italy (3-0); 2. China (3-0); 3. Turkey (2-1); 4. Bulgaria (1-2); 5. Canada (0-3); 6. Cuba (0-3).
∙ Pool C:
1. United States (3-0); 2. Russia (3-0); 3. Thailand (2-1); 4. Azerbaijan (1-2); 5. Korea (0-3); 6. Trinidad & Tobago (0-3).
∙ Pool D:
1. Serbia (3-0), Brazil (2-1); 3. Puerto Rico (2-1); 4. Dominican Rep. (1-2); 5. Kenya (1-2); 6. Kazakhstan (0-3).
The U.S. women have won matches vs. Azerbaijan (3 sets to 0); Trinidad & Tobago (3-0) and Korea (3-1). It has remaining games vs. Thailand on 3 October and Russia on the 4th.
The top four teams from each pool will move on to the second round and be arranged in two pools of eight, with another round-robin to determine the final pool of six (top three from each second-round pool). Look for scores and standings here.
