VNL action gets going at MOA

MANILA, Philippines — Brazil takes on Italy in the duel of world superpowers and perennial Olympic rivals as the pivotal Week 3 of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) men’s tournament unwraps today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. 

Action kicks off at 3 p.m. with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos making the ceremonial serve as the VNL visits the Philippines for the second straight year.

Brazil, at No. 3, and the fourth-running Italy are neck-and-neck in the updated world rankings released over the weekend to make it a fiery duel for the final preliminary leg of VNL organized by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and the Volleyball World.

Brazil has the number over Italy with a 3-0 record in their Olympic gold medal encounters. But the latter will come into duel as the top-ranked squad in the VNL this year with an impressive 10-2 card.

Brazil is at sixth with an 8-4 slate.

Not to be left behind is world No. 6 and crowd darling Japan, which will slug it out against Asian rival China, world No. 22, in the second game at 7 p.m.

The match-up also stakes crucial playoff implications with Japan (9-3) lurking at fifth spot while China (3-9) trails at 13th.

World No. 1 Poland, No. 8 Slovenia, No. 10 the Netherlands and No. 15 Canada will also play here ahead of the finals in Poland on July 19 to 24.