Ruse, Bulgaria, September 13, 2018 - China and the Netherlands meet Friday for the fifth time in World Championship history - though the Asian side's last win was 52 years ago. Both teams look for their first 2018 FIVB World CHampionship win, after China lost their opening match in straight sets to France and the Dutch fell 3-0 to Canada on Wednesday.
Head-to-Head
• China and the Netherlands have met four times at the World Championship. The Chinese won the first two encounters, in 1962 (3-1) and 1966 (3-0), and the Dutch were victorious in the most recent two, both in 1998 (3-1, 3-0).
• The Netherlands have won 14 of their 20 world level major tournament matches against China.
• The world level major tournaments are Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• China won both of the two most recent world level major tournament matches versus the Netherlands, 3-0 in Nanjing in the 2009 World League and 3-1 in Malatya in the 2017 World League.
• China could win three consecutive world level major tournament matches against the Netherlands for the first time.
China
• China lost their opening World Championship match in straight sets against France.
• China's last seven defeats at World Championships have come in straight sets. They have won their last four matches in which they took at least one set.
• Against France, Chuan Jiang (10 total points) was the only Chinese player with at least one point from spikes, blocks and serves.
The Netherlands
• The Netherlands started their World Championship campaign with a 3-0 defeat against Canada.
• The Netherlands have lost their opener for the first time since 1978, when East Germany and Bulgaria proved too strong in the first two matches (both 3-0).
• The Netherlands can now lose three consecutive World Championship matches in straight sets for the first time since 1998.
• Nimir Abdel-Aziz led his team with 13 points against Canada. All of those points came from spikes.