Cuban men's duo advances in Beach Volleyball World Cup

Havana, June 14 (RHC)-- The duo of Noslen Diaz and Jorge Luis Alayo advanced among the top 32 at the Rome 2022 Beach Volleyball World Championship by beating Uruguay's Hans Hannibal and Marco Cairus by 2-1 sets (28-30, 21-19, 15-11).

This second victory placed the Caribbean team as sub-leaders of group J with a 2-1 record and five points, as well as the German duo of Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wicklers. Against the Europeans, precisely, they scored their first victory at the highest level.

Against the Uruguayans, Diaz and Alayo were superior in attack by 50-45 and equal in blocks 5-5. However, they committed fewer errors (6-9). In service the opponents closed 0-4.

Hannibal was the match's top scorer with 39 points. Noslen added 30 and Alayo 25.   In the debut of the Cubans in a world championship event, they lost to the Australians Christopher McHugh and Paul Burnett, who were smiling after straight sets of 21-15 and 21-18.

However, they came out to the next match with momentum and required three sets to win against the Teutons Nils and Clemens (18-21, 23-21, 15-10).

While the South Americans Hannibal and Cairus could only snatch the first set from our team by 30-28. The other sets showed that the students of Francisco Alvarez Cutiño and Walfrido Salas did not travel only to gain experience in the so-called Eternal City. Their goal is much higher.

The top 32 finishers will return to the field on Wednesday. They will enter a route full of obstacles due to the quality of their protagonists.

LEILA AND LIDY TO THE ROUND OF "LUCKY LOSERS".  

Leila Martinez and Lidianny Echevarria got the victory they needed to finish third in the H key and "sneak" this Tuesday into the "lucky losers" round, where they have to beat the Swiss Bobner and Vergé-Dépré to be included among the 32 finalists.

The ebony duo had no setbacks to overcome Egypt's Farida El Askalany and Doaa Elghobashy in 21-14 and 21-16 wins. They were superior in attack (30-19) and blocking (2-0), while in service they finished behind (2-3). Both teams committed seven errors.

The Cubans totaled one win and two losses, as they lost 16-21 and 19-21 to Americans Terese Cannon and Sarah Sponcil in their opener, and 16-21 and 18-21 to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic runners-up Taligua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho of Australia.