Trieste, Italy, October 5, 2014 – Germany beat Azerbaijan 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-19) in Pool E at PalaTrieste on Sunday. This was the two teams’ last match at the 2014 FIVB Women’s World Championship, neither having qualified for the final round in Milan.
Key Facts
- Germany has completed their Pool E matches with 9 points, having won also over Belgium and suffered three five-set defeats.
- Azerbaijan have 5 points, having won two matches (3-2 against Japan and 3-1 against Croatia).
- Germany won both previous World Championship meetings with Azerbaijan: 3-1 in 1994 and 3-0 in 2006.
- Best scorer of the match was once more Azerbaijan’s Polina Rahimova with 19 points. On the winners’ side best scorer was Margareta Kozuch (16), followed by Heike Beier (12).
The first set started with some mistakes by Azerbaijan’s top spiker Polina Rahimova and Germany immediately took advantage with an 8-4 score. Azerbaijan attacked strenuously, but the German block worked better and captain Margareta Kozuch’s precise shots contributed to four points in a row that brought the lead to 16-11. Germany kept the opponents’ spikes at bay and preserved a safe distance at 20-15. After a long, exciting rally, Christiane Fürst signed the fifth point in a row for Germany and closed the set 25-15.
In the second set Azerbaijan registered their first slight lead 3-2 and succeeded in keeping the game even for a good while. Odina Bayramova’s spirited attack even achieved a 10-8 lead. Yet Germany soon crept up the ladder to a 14-10 advantage. They maintained it up to 19-15 thanks to their excellent attacks, good receives and a wall that was not giving way. Heike Beier signed the 21th tally. At this point Rahimova showed her full might and Azerbaijan registered four consecutive points, shortening the gap to 21-20. Rahimova’s block kill equalized at 22-all, but the video-check evidenced a net fault. Then Germany achieved their first set point. Rahimova froze it with a magnificent spike, but it was up to Fürst to take set point again. Germany won 25-23.
Azerbaijan could not shift the momentum in set three and struggled to keep up with Germany. In spite of her kills, Rahimova looked tamed, while the German spikers dominated the net. Azerbaijan lost concentration and multiplied the errors. Setter Mareen Apitz effected a sly dump and a block kill in a row and Germany led 20-16. 18-year old Wiebke Silge contributed to the last two points for Germany with a block kill followed by an ace. Germany clinched the set and the match 25-19.