Semifinals confirmed at Club World Championship

Plock, Poland, November 29, 2018 - Both Cucine Lube Civitanova and Diatecx Trentino scored wins on the closing day of pool play at the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship to remain undefeated at the top of their respective pools and avoid an all-Italian clash in the semifinals.

Saturday's semifinals in Czestochowa:
• 17:30 local time (16:30 GMT): Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) v Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA)
• 20:30 local time (19:30 GMT): Diatecx Trentino (ITA) v Fakel Novy Urengoy (RUS)

Lube beat Russia's Fakel Novy Urengoy 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-19) in Plock to top Pool A - though both teams were already qualified for the semifinals ahead of the game.

And in Rzeszow, Trentino shut out hosts Asseco Resovia Rzeszow 3-0 (26-24, 25-23, 25-20) to finish top of Pool B. Again, both teams had secured their tickets to the top four.


Jakub Jarosz attacks for Asseco Resovia Rzeszow past the Diatecx Trentino block of Maarten Van Garderen on Thursday evening in Rzeszow, as pool play wound down at the 2018 FIVB Men's Club World Championship.

Though an all-Italian semifinal clash has been avoided, Lube and Trentino are on track to face each other in Sunday's final. If it happens, it would be the second time in the history of the Club World Championship that two clubs from the same country make the final - and that was also an Italian affair, when Misura Milan beat Sisley Treviso 3-2 in 1992 at Treviso's PalaVerde.

Thursday highlights in Plock and Rzeszow:
• Fifteen years ago to the very day Mariusz Wlazly played his very first match with PGE Skra Belchatow. To celebrate this huge landmark in the career of the 35-year-old opposite, the club presented him with a commemorative award just before the start of the match against Zenit Kazan.
• Skra make an early exit from the 2018 FIVB Men's Club World Championship, but Wlazly counts three medals in the competition in his huge collection: two silver in 2009 and 2010 and a bronze in 2012, all in Doha.



Results & Match Centres of Wednesday:
• Fakel Novy Urengoy (RUS) - Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 0-3
• Aseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) - Diatecx Trentino (ITA) 0-3
• PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) - Zenit Kazan (RUS) 1-3
• Khatam Ardakan (IRI) - Sada Cruzeiro Contagem (BRA) 0-3


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