The volleyball teams of Cuba (under-21) and Cambodia held on Monday the first joint training session ahead of the official match scheduled for Thursday in honor of Cuban Culture Day.

Phnom Penh, October 19 (JIT) - The volleyball teams of Cuba (under-21) and Cambodia held on Monday the first joint training session ahead of the official match scheduled for Thursday in honor of Cuban Culture Day.

In the main hall of this sport, at the Visakha Stadium, they offered a hard-fought match extended to tie-break and won by the locals 25-22, 25-27, 25-27, 26-24 and 17-15.

The Caribbean juniors showed a lot of resistance, despite a certain lack of coordination, which is logical since it was their first training session after the long trip and the first days in this Asian country. They are still not fully adapted to the 11 hours difference with respect to the island.

Berto Friol, a Cuban who since last August has been part of the Cambodian national team's coaching staff, pointed out that most of his players are from the Visakha club, national club champion and bronze medal winners at the last Southeast Asian Games.

"They are very disciplined and give their all in training. Among their objectives is to stay on the podium in those games, whose next edition in 2023 will take place in Cambodia, precisely," commented to JIT the Pinar del Río coach, for many years commissioner of this sport in that province.

The Cuban squad is the same that disputed the bronze medal in the recent U-21 Pan American Cup held in Havana, although it does not have its best man, Alejandro Miguel González, who returned to the Brazilian team where he is under contract. Ángel Suárez, signed this year by a Turkish club, is also absent.

The team is headed by corner player Bryan Camino, who together with Alejandro Miguel earned for their outstanding performances the inclusion in the honor roll of the recent Havana Cup.

Completing this talented group are captain Yonni Jesús Iglesias, Jonathan Mc Kentochi, Yusniel González, Álvaro Ricardo, Yasser Ramírez, José Ramón Gómez, Brayan Valle, Jakdiel Contreras, Thiago Suárez and Bryan Ramón Viscaíno.

The coaching staff is led by Jesús Cruz, with assistants Mario Izquierdo and Manuel Espinosa, doctor Pedro Luis González and psychologist Zoila Betanco.

This Wednesday both teams will meet again on the field for the second training session, in which Cuban Miguel Morales will rotate as first and second referee, a member of a delegation that also includes sports glories, technicians, managers and medical staff.

Cuba and Cambodia recently signed a sports collaboration agreement that includes contributing to the development of volleyball and other disciplines with a view to their first goal: the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.