Krakow, Poland, July 14, 2016 - Italy lost their first match of the FIVB Volleyball World League 2016 Group 1 finals in Poland and face USA for their second in a must-win situation. For the Americans this will be the first game in Krakow, but if they win it they will secure a spot in the semifinals.
Head-to-Head
• This is the 25th World League meeting between these teams at the World League. Both teams have won 12 of the previous 24 meetings.
• United States have won 11 of their last 14 World League encounters with Italy, including four of their last five.
• Italy's last World League victory over USA dates back to 16 July 2014, when Italy prevailed in straight sets in Florence.
• They met once earlier this season, with the United States emerging victorious 3-0 in Rome.
United States
• United States are in search of their third World League trophy. They won the competition in 2008 and 2014.
• The US claimed a bronze medal last season, their sixth overall (G2-S1-B3) in the competition.
• Team USA won eight of their nine matches in Group 1, only falling to Brazil in the process.
• Taylor Sander (58% efficiency) and Erik Shoji (56.2%) are among the best receivers in this year's World League.
Italy
• Italy have now lost their last two World League matches and can lose three in a row for the first time since they lost four in a row last year, in the Intercontinental Round.
• The last time they opened the Final Round with back-to-back defeats was in 2010 when they lost against Russia and Cuba in Argentina.
• Five of Italy's six victories in the World League this season have come in straight sets.
• Ivan Zaytsev was the only Italian to score more than nine points against Brazil on Wednesday (13).