Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
Portugal started strong in the first set while Japan, which should have
been enjoying the home court advantage, was not playing up to its potential.
Japan struggled on its offense up the middle, failing to get the ball down,
and further could not get any momentum going with repeated service errors.
The hometown favorites, however, regained their composure midway through
the set and started their comeback behind the spikes of Yoichi Kato. Japan
caught Portugal at the end to take the opening set 27-25.
In the second set, Japanese setter Daisuke Usami and his corps of
spikers were not in synch at the outset as the home team again could not
find their rhythm. Southpaw ace Takahiro Yamamoto was ineffective in the
first half of the set as Portugal forged a five-point lead.
Yamamoto and Kentaro Asahi, however, found themselves in the second half
as Japan charged back to snare a 26-24 win.
After being overtaken from behind in the first two sets, Portugal turned
up the intensity in the third set with Roberto Reis leading the way with
some bruising spikes that found the floor. Again, Japan threatened to come
from behind, tying the score 23-23, but this time the visitors turned away
the challenge 25-23.
Japan broke out on top for the first time in the match in the fourth set
and breezed to a 25-20 win. Yamamoto, who finally appeared to get warmed
up, struck with some effective spikes while the rest of the team showed some
steadiness in serving and receiving that had been missing in the earlier
sets.
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