Italy vs. Serbia | Highlights | Final 6 Mens World Championship 2018

Turin, Italy, September 26, 2018 - A shocking start for Italy as the hosts of the 2018 FIVB Men's World Championship Final Six were hammered by the veteran outside hitter of Serbia Marko Ivovic in a clear 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-18), despite 11,700 warm and enthusiastic fans on their side.

Some 11,700 people supporting you can be a bit too much to handle, especially in the beginning: it might take a while before you can collect all their energy and make it yours.

Italy just couldn't, in their first night as hosts of the Final Six in Turin, against too much Serbia.

Ivovic's serve was the spring to every Serbian effort: impressive for power and accuracy (4 aces, 5 errors).

Italy, on the other hand, could not repeat their formidable offensive performances: the outside hitters were encaged in Nikola Grbic's strategy (both Filippo Lanza and Osmany Juantorena below 40% efficiency), and home hero Ivan Zaytsev encountered strong opposition (29% attack and only 9 points in the end).

Italy eventually gained some momentum early in the third set thanks to killer blocks: Daniele Mazzone (5) provided plenty

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