ATHENS, 15 August – Another pre-match favourite has fallen to an outsider in the Olympic Volleyball competition at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.
World number eight Argentina has beaten world number four France 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-22).
Jorge Alberto ELGUETA (ARG) was efficient at the net with 6 from 11 spikes, while Gustavo PORPORATTO (ARG) did a great job in blocking, with 3 kill-blocks, and captain Marcos MILINKOVIC (ARG) led his team from the front as Argentina shocked the French in the first set.
The story was different in the second with France putting up a much stronger fight but the winner remained the same.
Argentina sailed to a tough win despite good offensive efforts by Philippe BARCA CYSIQUE (FRA), who led his team in the second set with 9 points.
Argentina was behind by 22-23, but thanks to two kill-blocks and a spike from Gaston GIANI (ARG) they secured the set 25-23.
The third set also proved to be a tight one. The two teams fought it out point-by-point, but Argentina's aggression at the net was rewarded as they won 25-22, taking the Pool A match.
ELGUETA led the scoring for the Argentinians with 18 points, while MILINKOVIC had 16 and GIANI 11. For the French BARCA CYSIQUE was the highest scorer with 15 points followed by Dominique DAQUIN who had 12.