Pool E: Croatia - Belgium
Head-to-head
• Croatia and Belgium have never played each other before at the world championships.
• It will also be their first ever meeting at a major tournament.
Croatia
• Croatia have lost their last two world championship matches. They will look to avoid equalling their longest ever losing run of three matches, set in the first round in 2010.
• Croatia have an even balance against fellow European nations at world championships, winning three and losing three. All defeats came in straight sets, however none of the wins did.
• Croatia can claim their fifth win at the 2014 World Championship. This would be an outright record for them, outperforming their four-win effort from 1998.
Belgium
• Belgium have lost all three second round matches thus far, of which two in straight sets.
• Still, they have three wins in 2014, two more than in their previous appearance (1978) combined.
• Belgium are one shy of conceding 50 sets in world championship matches. They won 29 sets themselves.