Florence, Italy, September 16, 2018 – Japan bank on their winning advantage against Belgium as they play for the fourth time in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship on Sunday.
Head-to-Head
• Japan have won all four world level major tournament matches against Belgium in straight sets.
• The world level major tournaments are Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League, Grand Champions Cup and Nations League.
• Japan recorded straight-set victories versus Belgium at the World Championship in 1966 (Jihlava), 1970 (Sofia) and 1974 (Tijuana).
• Japan also beat Belgium in straight sets at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.
Japan
• Japan have won one and lost two matches at the 2018 World Championship so far.
• In total, Japan's World Championship record is currently in perfect balance. They have won 62 and lost 62 World Championship matches.
• Japan could win two of their first four matches of a World Championship campaign for the first time since 2006, when they won three of their first four.
• Yuki Ishikawa is Japan's top scorer in this tournament on 41 points.
Belgium
• Belgium started their 2018 World Championship with a win against Argentina and defeats against co-hosts Italy and Slovenia.
• Belgium lost all three of their five setters since their long absence from the World Championship (since 1978), against United States and France in 2014 and against Slovenia on Saturday.
• Belgium's last five-set win at World Championships came against Egypt in their third match in 1978.
• Sam Deroo is Belgium's most prolific scorer at the 2018 World Championship with 45 total points, three more than Bram Van Den Dries (42).