Volleyball: China clinch top spot, US face crunch
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-08-23 14:31

China underlined their gold medal ambitions in Olympic women's volleyball on Sunday, clinching top spot in Pool B with a straight sets win over Russia.

In Pool A, Italy and Japan also secured quarter-final berths and Germany kept their hopes of advancing alive with a win over the Dominican Republic.

China's Yang Hao (R) and Liu Yanan celebrate victory during women's volleyball preliminaries against Russia at Athens 2004 Olympic Games, August 22, 2004. China won 3-0. [Reuters]

But no amount of urging from a raucous near-capacity crowd at the Peace and Friendship Center could save the hosts, a 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-22) loss to world champions Italy sending Greece tumbling out of the competition.

The Italian win also put Japan through to the final eight after the Asians helped their own cause with a 3-0 (25-8, 25-27, 25-14) victory over winless Kenya.

Germany stayed in the medal chase by sweeping past the Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-21) but will have to wait for the outcome of a charged clash between three-time Olympic champions Cuba and the United States later on Sunday that will determine which nations advance.

Even though China's 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 28-26) win over Russia locked up first place in the pool standings, Cuba will not lack motivation with a chance to send the top-ranked Americans packing.

The US came to Athens eyeing their first volleyball medal since the 1992 Games but now find themselves in desperate need of a victory just to reach the final eight.

In other evening matches, Brazil will look to finish preliminary round play unbeaten and seal top place in Pool A ahead of Italy when they take on South Korea.

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