Sofia, Bulgaria, September 22, 2018 – The United States got off to a 6-0 start in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship and are up against co-hosts Bulgaria, which came off a huge straight-set win against Iran.
Head-to-Head
• Bulgaria and United States have met three times before at the World Championships. USA won in 1956, while Bulgaria was victorious in 1982 and 2006.
• The head-to-head in world level major tournaments in 14 victories by Bulgaria and 11 by USA, including the most recent two, at the 2016 World League and at the 2018 Nations League.
• World level major tournaments are Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• In the last seven meetings between these teams, each side won at least one set, after USA won 3-0 at the 2013 World League.
• USA have won the last three meetings with Bulgaria in Bulgaria, once in the 2012 World League (Sofia) and twice in the 2014 World League (Varna).
Bulgaria
• Bulgaria's win against Iran was their 100th win at the World Championships.
• They have won four matches in 2018, already surpassing their number of victories at the 2014 World Championship (3). They could win five for the first time since 2010 (5).
• All four of Bulgaria's wins have come in straight sets. The last time they claimed more straight-set wins was in 1986 (5).
• Todor Skrimov (18) and Valentin Bratoev (17) combined for 35 of Bulgaria's 79 points against Iran. Skrimov had seven serve winners in that match.
United States
• United States have won their first six matches at a single World Championship for the first time.
• Together with Italy, United States have won all six matches so far.
• United States won six matches at each of the previous two World Championships, 2010 and 2014.
• United States could win seven World Championship matches in a row for the first time since eight between 1998 and 2002.