Italy eases past Cuba in their second World Cup match: 3-0. They're within touching distance of the Round of 16.

It's a virtual qualification for the World Cup round of 16, which the match between Belgium and Slovakia (3:30 pm) could mathematically confirm. Julio Velasco 's Italy dominated Cuba 3-0 (25-9 25-8 25-16) in a one-and-done match that lasted 53 minutes after a 3-0 victory over Slovakia . The victory is the thirty-first consecutive victory in a cycle that includes an Olympic gold medal and two VNL titles. "I really like the team's mental condition, even more than their technical one," confirmed the coach at the end of the match. "Making few mistakes, playing well in defense, and being focused is very important psychologically for the matches in which we will be playing for everything. This group is very special." The top scorer against Cuba was Paola Egonu , 12 points in just two sets before being substituted like most of the starting six. Danesi scored 8 points with 3 blocks, while Sylla and Nervini both scored 7 points. On Tuesday, the Azzurre will play for top spot in the group against Belgium, scheduled for 12:00.

Italy immediately on 6-1

Cuba's decline was well known, having returned to the World Championships (it missed the 2022 edition) and struggling to rebuild its national team after several trips abroad and with minimal international activity. Velasco had only one problem, the injury to second setter Cambi , which needed to be evaluated, and decided to keep the starting six: Orro at setter, Egonu at opposite hitter, Nervini and Sylla at spikers, Fahr and Danesi at middle block, and De Gennaro at libero. This block was almost entirely replaced in the third set, receiving positive responses from newcomers Akrari, Sartori, Omoruyi, as well as, of course, Giovannini , who played well in parts of the match at the Olympics. In the first set Cuba called for a time out already at 6-1, in a situation of evident difficulty in which Egonu was unstoppable with 8 points, 1 of which at the block and 2 on aces, but also Danesi (5), Sylla and Fahr (4) created an imbalance on the court highlighted by the 18 points in attack against 4.

Egonu, shots at 100 miles an hour

Cuba didn't even score more than 10 points in the second set, stopping at 8 in what became a high-intensity workout. Egonu, with her near-60 mph shots, failed to shine, as Danesi and Fahr split their time between attacks and blocks, while Nervini broke the Cuban block and hit diagonal shots. In the third set, Velasco wanted to give space and world-class experience to a completely new team: Antropova for Egonu, Giovannini and Omoruyi for Sylla and Nervini, Sartori and Akrari for Danesi and Fahr, and at one point even the second libero Fersino came on, with only Orro and De Gennaro remaining. Giovannini scored 5 points and Antropova 4 in this set, which now has the Italians mentally heading to the quarterfinals in Bangkok.