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Author Time: 04-02-2008 Source: BOCOG
Cameroon beat the organizers South Africa in front of a big crowd of their spectators 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-22) in 67 minutes of exciting volleyball. Although the South African team played one of their best matches in the last few years under supervision of their coach Abdel Hamid El Wassimy, Cameroon got the lead through their unstoppable spikes from all the net positions that make them one of the big favorites for the Olympic ticket.
The home team started the match very active aided by their spectators and this helped them to lead several times after some successful hits from the experienced player Freedom Chiya and the spike service of Naidoo Leslie so they led 7-5 before Cameroon used the strong attackers Wounembaina and Jean Nziemi to lead 8-7 at the FTT and then 16-10. Cameroon used their well known spike service and passed easily to win the first set 25-17.
South Africa arranged their block and succeeded to go point by point with Cameroon team until the lions of Cameroon led 8-7 at the FTT. Cameroon again used the strong spike service and the setter Mariel Ndaki succeeded to lead the attacks and combinations to allow the team to extend their lead to 16-13. The host team improved their spiking through Thokozani Ntuli who had many effeicint hits thallowed them to come near again but Cameroon players ended the set in the best performance to win 25-19.
Again South Africa returned to the match in the third set with the spectators more and more excited. They went point by point till 10-10 due to the rapid attacks through Patrick Klostermann and the acitive Ntuli. Cameroon returned to the match with the strong rockets of Nziemi to reach to 16-13 b the STT. Cameroon did the best to end the third and last set 25-22 to win the match in straight sets.
In the neighbors Tunisia and Morocco clash the Tunisian head coach played with all the players list and succeeded to achieve a comfortable 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-16) in 67 minutes of thriller performance from the Tunisian side led by the experienced setter Ghazi guidara and the centre Chaker Ghezal who were the stars of the match in Pool B match. Tunisia becomes one step towards their hopes of Olympic ticket.
Tunisia started the match with more arrangement in defense and attacks and through the skillful setting by the experienced setter Ghazi Guidara who used his talent passes to lead 8-5 at the first TT. Tunisia stayed as the better side when the right attacker Hesham Kaabi used his well known spikes to penetrate the Moroccan block. Morocco coach Alami Hassan Idrissi made many substitutions to control the net but Tunisia was better in attack to end the set 25-18.
The second set featured more aggressive Tunisian attacks through Kaabi and Khalid Belaid as well as more disciplined block by the experienced centre Chaker Ghezal and Bilel Ben Hassine. Morocco arranged their block through the centers as Idriss Cherqi did well with Khalid Satour but Tunisia had the upper hand to lead 16-13. Morocco struggled in the last few points in the set but Tunisia was better in back line defense and reception and so they won the set 25-20.
In the third set the Tunisian head coach Kamel Rekaya changed some players and gave the chance to Hosni Karamosli and Ayman Ben Brik and as they substitutes did well Tunisia continued leading through a group of floater services 8-2. Satour led Morocco to decrease the point deficit gradually but again Ben Brik and Ghezal were efficient in the Tunisian side to win the set 25-16 and the match in straight sets.
It was a very tough match when Algeria took over Nigeria in straight sets (25-19, 25-13, 25-20) after great performance form the match stars Ali Kerboua and Mohamed Chikhi who didn't allow the Nigerian to breathe for 61 minutes.
Gabon was superior in net action enough to clinch a straight sets victory over the struggling Mozambique 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-22) in 70 minutes.
Day two Programme:
- Mozambique vs. Morocco Group B
- Rwanda vs. Cameroon Group A
- Egypt vs. Tunisia Group B
- South Africa Vs. Nigeria Group A
(Credit: FIBA. Click here for further information.)
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