Lausanne, Switzerland, May 25, 2018 - China and Argentina both lost their opening matches in five sets to Bulgaria and USA respectively, but one of the two will score their first win at the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League when they go head-to-head Saturday in Ningbo - with the South Americans leading the series 6-4, though they haven't met in seven years.
Head-to-Head
• China and Argentina will meet for the 11th time in world level major competitions. Argentina won six times versus four victories for China.
• World level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Argentina won their first five encounters with China at world level major competitions (1982-2006), then China won four consecutive matches (all at 2007 World League). Argentina won their last meeting again, at the 2011 World Cup (3-0).
• Those four victories for China in 2007 were the only wins for the team at that year's World League. Argentina lost all of their 12 matches at that tournament.
• China have lost each of their last four matches against South American sides at world level major competitions, since a 3-2 victory over Venezuela at the 2008 Olympic Games.
China
• China started their 2018 VNL campaign with a 3-2 defeat against Bulgaria.
• In the 2017 World League, China had a losing run of at least two matches only once: three defeats in a row against Australia, Finland and Slovakia.
• In last year's World League, China won each of their three matches played on home soil.
• Chuan Jiang (17) and Shuhan Rao (14) both reached double figures in scoring in the defeat against Bulgaria.
Argentina
• Argentina lost their first VNL match against United States 3-2. The Argentinians had won the first two sets.
• At the 2017 World League, Argentina started with a 3-0 defeat against Russia but went on to win their second fixture 3-2 versus Bulgaria.
• Since that five-set win over Bulgaria, Argentina have lost four consecutive five-setters on world level in a row including the defeat against USA on Friday.
• Ezequiel Palacios (17), Pablo Crer (17) and Martín Ramos (15) all scored 15+ points in the defeat against USA.