customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Paul McNamara

China came back from the dead to upset world No 1 team Turkey 3-2 on a night of high drama at a rocking Hong Kong Coliseum.
The pressure appeared to be mounting on under-fire head coach Cai Bin when his team surrendered the opening two sets of their Volleyball Nations League (VNL) encounter on Saturday.
Cai’s players came roaring back, however. The 25-21 third-set scoreline did not accurately reflect their superiority, then momentum completely swung in set four. The previously imperious Turkey opposite hitter Melissa Vargas mislaid her radar, while accomplished China held their nerve to capitalise on their first set point, at 24-23, and force the decider.
Turkey appeared to have regained the upper hand at 6-3 up in the final set, but China staged their last, decisive comeback to win it 15-13.
The victory guarantees Cai’s team a spot at the VNL finals, which begin in Bangkok on Thursday.

In a further boost, the world ranking points gained from toppling the Turks moved China within touching distance of fifth-placed USA.
China’s Wang Menjie said: “I think we did well as a team after a difficult start. It was a really great thing that we stayed together to win the game. The cohesion of the whole team was really good.”
Zhu Ting was missing with a reported lower back injury, after supporters were angered by the outside hitter’s limited court time during China’s VNL leg in Macau last weekend.
But Cai, in his second spell in charge, received a significant shot in the arm as his side showed considerable tenacity and spirit in adversity.
His team confirmed their Olympic Games place on Friday. But that was not enough for some disgruntled fans criticising online.
China arrived in Hong Kong under a cloud after losing two of their four matches in Macau. They have turned their form on its head, however, and will chase a fourth straight victory when they face Poland on Sunday.
This defeat will do little material harm to Turkey, whose qualification for Bangkok was already assured, but they will, surely, be shocked by the nature of their loss, nonetheless. They looked poised for a cruise after two relatively comfortable sets, but became edgy after coughing up the third.
The partisan 10,542 crowd provided deafening support and China completed an astonishing fightback.
“It was a great team effort, and really showed the spirit of Chinese volleyball,” China’s Li Yingying said.
Poland overcame Thailand in straight sets in Saturday’s second match. They had lost their opening game to world No 2 team Brazil on Wednesday, but recovered to whitewash Dominican Republic 48 hours later.
They take on China on Sunday. Veteran captain Joanna Wolosz, speaking before China’s heroics, was hoping to harness her side’s momentum and deflate the Chinese support.
“Putting them under more pressure is our first goal – it is key for us to start strongly and be aggressive at the net,” Wolosz said.
“It is exciting for us. The stadium will be full, and these are the games you want to play.
“We expect it to be so difficult. China are growing and playing better, but we will try to find our chances.”
China beat Poland in the VNL Finals last year, but Wolosz was quick to point out that her side toppled the Chinese 3-0 in Hong Kong.
“It will be interesting to see which way it goes this time, but we will have to play very good volleyball to win,” she said.
The Poles, ranked third in the world, will end a 16-year wait to play in the Olympics this summer.

“We don’t think about Paris right now,” she said. “Our team is still growing.
“It is important to be present, not think about the future, and [that] is working.”
In Saturday’s opening game, Bulgaria beat Dominican Republic in a final-set nail-biter to record their second victory from 12 VNL preliminary matches.
Their Caribbean opponents travelled to Hong Kong harbouring outside hopes of reaching the season finals. But defeat by the bottom side, following earlier losses against Poland and Turkey, completed a rotten week.
Additional reporting from SCMP’s Lars Hamer.


Volleyball Nations League 2024 sets records for attendance, viewership and engagement

Nothing brings Hongkongers and mainland Chinese closer together than sports

Paris Olympics: China volleyball fans lament facing US again – ‘what kind of fate is this?’

China volleyball team too erratic to win Olympics, need Zhu Ting, legend Lang Ping fears

Volleyball

Volleyball Nations League: jubilant China fight back to stun Turkey – ‘we stayed together’

China turned their match against Turkey on its head with an astonishing comeback. Photo: Yik Yeung-man.

China are receiving raucous support at Hong Kong Coliseum. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Li Yingying spikes the ball as China battle back to beat Turkey at Hong Kong Coliseum. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Paris Olympics: Chinese volleyball fans torn as women’s side handed place at Games

China have qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris but it was only thank to results elsewhere. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Chinese volleyball fans are split on earning Olympic qualification thanks to results elsewhere. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Volleyball Nations League in Hong Kong: China start with win to keep Olympic hopes alive

Wang Yuanyuan blocks, watched by teammate Gong Xiangyu, during China’s win over Bulgaria. Photo: Elson Li

Germany, in white, face Dominican Republic in Tuesday’s first match of the league’s Hong Kong leg. Photo: Elson Li

Where is Zhu Ting? China’s women’s volleyball coach Cai Bin addresses Nations League flak

Chinese fans have queried the absence of Zhu Ting from their national team. Photo: Xinhua

Zhu Ting (left, alongside teammate Li Yingying) largely had a watching brief in Macau. Photo: Xinhua

China volleyball team feel fans’ fury before Women’s Nations League in Hong Kong

China’s (from left) Wang Yuanyuan, Gong Xiangyu and Diao Linyu during the loss to Italy last weekend. Photo: Xinhua

Two losses in four games in Macau have led fans and experts to question coach Cai Bin. Photo: Xinhua

Fans, and outside hitter Li Yingying (right), are baffled by the omission of superstar Zhu Ting (left). Photo: Xinhua

Sport

Other Sport

Paris Olympics 2024

China

Li Yingying hails ‘the spirit of Chinese volleyball’ after her team’s recovery from two sets down to win at a deafening Hong Kong Coliseum


Li Yingying hails ‘spirit of Chinese volleyball’ after recovery from two sets down at a deafening Hong Kong Coliseum.


Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Zhu Ting (朱婷)