Tokyo (AFP)
The French volleyball players validated their qualification for the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Games by losing only to the 3-2 tie-break against Brazil (25-22, 37-39, 25-17, 21-25, 20-18) in their final group game Sunday at Ariake Arena.
The Blues who had four match points in their hands could even have won but the most important is saved.
After snatching a first set 39-37 after an unbreathable second set, the Blues won the fourth set 25-21, which gives them a point and ensures them to pass the first round of the Olympic tournament, a first.
Evaporated the ghost of Rio.
For their last group match again against the Seleçao, as in 2016, Laurent Tillie's players wrote a different story.
The band of Earvin Ngapeth, overshot Sunday (29 points), will see the quarters this time and his dream of an Olympic medal still lives.
She even avoided waiting in the waiting room to fear a success in the tie-break of Argentina against the United States (9.45 p.m. local), which would have eliminated the Blues in the event of a stiff defeat against Brazil.
Faced with the reigning Olympic champions, favorites to their succession with Poland, the most talented generation of French volleyball continued the momentum of its victory against the Russians (3-1) on Friday.
As released after three difficult first matches and only one victory against Tunisia, the Blues have found a great Earvin Ngapeth, like his final feint in the second round to finally convert the eleventh set point.
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