ITALY BEAT POLAND TO WIN MEN'S VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Italians fight back in style to silence home crowd and scoop fourth world title Italy lifted the men’s Volleyball World Championship title for the fourth time and their first in 24 years as they spoilt the party for co-hosts Poland in a thrilling final in Katowice.

The Poles came into the game aiming to win a third gold medal in a row after successes in 2014 and 2018 and a capacity crowd inside the Spodek Arena were anticipating more glory after Nikola Grbić’s team took a tight first set 21-17.

However, the young Italian side – average age 24 – would soon silence the partisan home crowd, levelling the score with a second-set comeback before taking the lead by winning the third set that saw them dominate from the moment they took seven out of eight points at the midway stage.

Poland’s first-set celebrations were a distant memory come the fourth set, with the Italians establishing an early advantage that they would not relinquish. Coach Ferdinando De Giorgi - who was part of the Italy squads that won three titles in a row between 1990 and 1998 - celebrated his side's 3-1 (17-21, 25-21, 25-18, 25-20) victory.

“It doesn’t feel real,” Italy's triumphant MVP, setter and captain Simone Giannelli said. “Last year, when we won the European Championship, I cried a lot but now I can’t cry because I’m so happy and so excited. I can’t think of anything, I can only smile and laugh. I’m so proud of my team, proud to be Italian and proud to be a world champion.

“I hope it’s the start of something special. We have a lot of young guys who are very talented and we have to continue to grow and to create something big. It’s a very good moment for us, but have to keep looking forward.”

More hardware for Brazil For the sixth men’s championship in a row Brazil secured a place on the podium, this time by securing the bronze medal with a 3-1 (25-18, 25-18, 22-25, 25-18) victory over Slovenia.

Having finished second in the previous two editions, the South Americans were in no mood to leave Katowice empty handed and Renan Dal Zotto’s side got off to the perfect start by winning the opening two sets to 18.

Slovenia, backed by a passionate pocket of support inside the Spodek Arena – as well as a number of the Polish fans – edged their way back into contention for a medal by taking the third set.

However, the Brazilians brought the heat back in the fourth set to overpower the Slovenians and end the championship with bronze medals around their necks for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Dream Team: MVP - Giannelli (Italy), Best Opposite - Kurek (Poland), Best Setter - Giannelli (Italy), Best Libero - Balaso (Italy), Best Middle Blockers - Bieniek (Poland), Galassi (Italy), Best Outside Hitters - Leal (Brazil), Semeniuk (Poland)

Information and photo source : International Volleyball Federation