Ruse, Bulgaria, September 14, 2018 - After losing to Brazil in five dramatic sets, France seek to bounce back when they take on Egypt at the 2018 FIVB World Championship, Friday. The African side still seek their first win of the tournament, after going down to Brazil and Canada, while France are currently 1-1. France won both previous matches against Egypt at the World Championships - though the most recent encounter was 40 years ago, back in 1978.
Head-to-Head
• France and Egypt have met twice at the World Championship, with the French winning both encounters in straight sets.
• In France's two World Championship victories against Egypt, they conceded only 19 points in 1974 and 13 points in 1978 (sets to 15 points).
• Excluding the two World Championship encounters, there has been only one other world level major tournament match between France and Egypt. The French won in straight sets in Okayama in the 2003 World Cup.
• The world level major tournaments are Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
France
• France beat China (3-0) and lost to Brazil (3-2) in their World Championship campaign thus far.
• That 3-2 against Brazil was the same result the teams registered in their last meeting, in the semifinal in 2014. Back then, the final set also ended 15-12 in Brazil's favour.
• In 2014, when France finished fourth, they also started with a win and a loss, before they won their third match 3-1 against Iran.
• Earvin Ngapeth was the top scorer in the match against Brazil with 22 points. Stephen Boyer, who had scored 23 in the opener against China, added 11 points, while Antoine Brizard hit five aces.
Egypt
• Egypt have lost their first two World Championship matches in straight sets against Brazil and Canada.
• Against Canada, Egypt lost 3-0. Both set 1 and set 2 went to extra points (27-25, 30-28), before set 3 went to Canada with a 25-19 score.
• Egypt could lose three straight World Championship matches with a 3-0 score for the first time since 1986. Egypt's run of four in 1974 was their longest such run ever.
• Ahmed Shafik scored a team-leading 17 points against Canada (16 spikes and a kill block).