Italy 🇮🇹 vs. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - Highlights | Men's World Championships 2025

Simone Giannelli, captain for Italy, gets us underway. Italy in white. And that's an ace first serve. He didn't have the best of days. Three times they've met in the past and every time the Italians have won. Simica has a look. And that's a sweet swing. Or more than what it is. I thought it was. I'm not imagining Vladimir Simonovic telling me no, no. Good swing. Good start this way. Giannelli has a quick look. Picchioletto and Janczuk will wind himself up again. Now who's going to take that? That was a good first defense by Ukraine. World champs. He was Mr. Consistency against Belgium. The only player not to be taken out. Domenico Bacci was there but he was used all the time. Belasso says that's gone out. And the referee has the luxury of the technology to back. Simica. Well handled on the first contact. The lefty. Picchioletto putting pressure. Big test of Italy as well. So close in the BNL. And swept by Poland in the final. That's a great hit but Belasso just stood ready, waiting, took it. Lovely. There's Giannelli. There's Guardiolo. But Govalov. No problem. I think if there's anything we've learned from this world champs it's how to win ugly. Trying to bring to bear. Giulio serves for Janczuk. Simica will send it back to him. And that's a great pick up by Botolo. Just at the net. Still going. Here comes Romano. Very clever. There is no such thing as a lost cause. Two players going for the same ball. Botolo took that one. And Micheletto is going to have to put that over the net. So, big chance here. Can they narrow this? Oh yes, they can. Looking really good right now. Beautiful handling there. And again, the choice to go to Semenyuk. Russo's taken away the ace. Get a foothold. Get a platform. Nice. Giannelli worked that out already. Moved straight away. Giulio moving. And he was there. Straight away. I want my middle with me. Not sure. So, Kovalov to rescue this first set. Botolo goes to the ground. And that's very close to Micheletto. But not a problem. Up he goes. Ball drops down. 25-21. Thank you very much indeed. For Ukraine. Maxim Drozhd. Their middle blocker gets us underway. Serving in the dark blue. To Italy in the white. And that's a big hit. Took that way behind the line. In play. Kovalov puts it down. But smooth as that by Romano. And then Micheletto finds himself stuffed. Blocked. That's a big block in front of him. And that's saying something when you talk about how big Micheletto is. Dollars have got into the Ukraine volleyball. What the result is. Strong showing in the VNL. Doing well here. Keeping Italy honest in the World Championships. Quick points. Gianelli finding immediately Rousseau. He's got Julo. Chinizio playing off the net. Botolo. Oh, nice set. And he's done it again. There's a confidence. And there's a belief there. Chinizio off the net. Double block waiting. Takes the sting. Another lover set. But touche. Botolo was being a little cheeky here. And you got to remember that Micheletto is a left-handed attacker. So for a right... Rousseau. Lovely pass. Lovely finish. Gianelli was ready. Read that well. What about Botolo? Semenyuk. Lovely pass. And they'll go again. Micheletto as the decoy. As Botolo arrives from that backcourt. I think Micheletto will gladly play the decoy here at Middles. We're used to doing it. But I think any time that Gianelli has that ball exactly where he wants it, everyone becomes a decoy. Even if you use it sparingly, it keeps the blockers disciplined. Micheletto will go again. And we've got him firing down that right-hand side. Involved in the game. Such an experienced man. In the volleyball world, that is. Coaching and playing. So Micheletto. Six aces so far. He's now to the total. Sinitsy is off the net. Kovalov will chop at it down the line. That's a wonderful hit. And now it's Giovanni. Very careful server. And so too is Micheletto with Roberto Russo. It's two sets. Gianelli, Micheletto, Russo, Romano and Botolo. Same starting sixes. Gargiulo in white against Ukraine. With Kupczyk going cross-court. And out in dark blue. And this is the way we're going to play for the three sets against Algeria. Okay, because Algeria, they're ranked 87th in the world. But, no change. What a great block. Again and again. But there was no way through. Micheletto does such a good job there. Closing it up. So it's a three block. But he reads it so well. Because the serve of Italy has been putting. He's leading by example. Romano even as well. Actually, it's just what he wanted. What a good serve. Put behind the line as he measured it. And then release. Passing like a libero. And attacking like an opposite. He'll come again. Lovely change of attack. Then there's a net touch. Micheletto has his way. He'll make it eight. Ruko does well. And so does Jancho. Arriving on cue. And he needs. So, Botolo or Balasso. It's Sanchi Micheletto. And the joust at the net. And who's going to take that? And that's where the attackers want to go. Lovely pass. And Kolodov finishes it beautifully. Expertly done. Gives you the stroke. Touch and it seems okay. So Tukci is ready to go. Really good. They were expecting a big hit. And he just calmly waited. And then just pushed. Timita. Back on court. But no worries. Gianelli's going on his own. Who needs a setter? Here he goes again. He's going to switch it to Micheletto. And he comes in. That was really clever. He'd been blocked out. They're middle blockers. They're top score. It's so tough to win games like that. That's picked from Romano. Balasso will just say. Simone. And then Romano will go again. Still doesn't go down though. Micheletto. Will put that one away. To the back of the court. And then they look up. All the crowd doing likewise. First referee, Vladimir Siminovich, waits. And is there anything wrong? Facing the round of 16. He has a look. And Guardiola puts it down. And Italy have bounced back from that shock defeat by Belgium. They have swept Ukraine in three.