2015-06-07 12:58:00 CET
Battle lines are drawn for men's medal rounds!
Medal matches at the Poreč Major get underway at 13:30 CET Sunday afternoon
For the first time in FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour history, Canada will face the Netherlands in a men's gold medal match, as Canadians Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter challenge the reigning World Champions Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen of the Netherlands at the finals of the Swatch Major Series stop in Poreč, Croatia on Sunday afternoon.
The athletic fireworks started early, when Canada's Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter narrowly survived a relentless, 67-minute assault by the favored sixth-seeds Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst of the Netherlands. Aiming to clinch their second-ever World Tour victory, Binstock and Schachter rallied after losing the first set and ultimately prevailed in three – 21-23, 21-18, 15-13 – earning their spot in the Gold Medal Match.
Then it was the turn of Brouwer and Meeuwsen to stake their claim. The World Champions launched a Semi Final blitz against Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Carambula of Italy, a 31 seed team who have gotten under the skin of their competitors all week, not only for their unexpected advance but for their style of play, throwing in old-school skyball serves as well as extended celebrations after scoring points. The Italians were effective at the outset, winning the first set, 21-18. And then the champions put the hammer down, capturing the final two sets 21-17, 15-9.
Photocredit: Tomislav Moze / Red Bull Content Pool
In Sunday's Bronze Medal match at 13:30 CET, Nummerdor and Varenhorst will take the Center Court sand against Carambula and Ranghieri. Then it's time for the ultimate confrontation, as Binstock and Schachter combat Brouwer and Meeuwsen in the Gold Medal Match at 15:00.
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