Brazil executed its game plan to perfection, sweeping the Netherlands with scores of 25-21, 25-15, 25-20 at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Nations League on Thursday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Canarinhos climbed the standings with a 7-3 record, securing third place and trailing idle Poland by just half a match. More importantly, they secured their ticket to the Final Round.
Setter and captain Rezende Bruno played a crucial role in this important victory, boasting a solid 17.31 setting clip and contributing with his own attack points.
“We definitely wanted to be aggressive with our serves. That was very important because the Netherlands has strong attackers. Nikita (Abdel-Aziz) is the best opposite in the world,” said the veteran playmaker about the team’s strategy against the Orange Tulips.
“I think in the first set, we didn’t play well; I didn’t play well. But after that, I believe we managed our attacks better, and our serves did a great job. Our block-defense system limited their attacks,” he added.
Brazil took control of the match from the start, testing the Netherlands’ floor coverage with a variety of hits and strong net defense. This proved to be an excellent tactic as the South Americans secured a 25-21 victory in the first set, thanks to two consecutive blocks from Saatkamp Lucas.
The squad, under the guidance of coach Renan Dal Zotto, continued to exploit the Dutch defensive alignment in the following set. However, the Netherlands found some opportunities on the counterattack, reducing the deficit to 9-12.
Nevertheless, Brazil regrouped, relying on their passing and transition game to dominate the second set and take a 2-0 advantage.
With a solid defense and effective attacking strategy, Bruno led Brazil comfortably in the third and final set, securing the clean sweep.
Brazil’s offensive prowess was evident, with two players reaching double digits. Henrique Honorato and Lucas each contributed 10 markers. Honorato registered seven spikes, two blocks, and an ace, while Lucas controlled the middle with six blocks and four spikes.
The 17-time World Champions will seek their eighth victory as they face the world No. 1 team on Friday at 11:00 AM.
Wouter Ter Maat stepped up for the Dutch in the absence of starter and captain Nimir, finishing with 10 markers through nine attacks and one block. Nimir, on the other hand, was limited to eight points with a surprising 9.52% attacking efficiency.
The Netherlands, now holding an even 5-5 record, will face undefeated Japan later in the day at 7:00 PM.
