Lausanne, Switzerland, June 8, 2018 - Russia look to bounce back after losing to Brazil in five sets on Friday, when they host China in Ufa Saturday for the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League. The reigning European champions have only lost once to China in 34 previous matches, with the Asian side's last win as far back as 1995 in the FIVB World League.
Head-to-Head
• Russia (including as Soviet Union and CIS) have won 33 of their 34 matches against China in world level major competitions.
• World level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• China's only victory was a 3-2 win at the 1995 World League. Russia have won 14 world level major tournament matches against China since.
• China have only lost more matches at world level major tournaments against Italy (42) than versus Russia (33, including Soviet Union and CIS).
• Russia won four of their last five matches against China in straight sets, with the exception of a 3-2 victory at the 2006 World League.
Russia
• Russia lost 3-1 against Brazil on Friday to record their third loss in the VNl so far.
• For only the second time, Russia lost their first set of a match in the VNL after their straight set loss against Poland.
• Konstantin Bakun scored 20 points for Russia against Brazil, including 17 spikes (out of 30 attempts).
• In the Russian team, two spikers have success rate above the 50% in the VNL: Dmitriy Muserskiy (67%) and Egor Kliuka (55%).
China
• China have won two and lost five of their seven VNL matches, including a 3-0 defeat against Iran in their opening fixture in week 3 of the VNL.
• China have already suffered three straight-set defeats in the VNL. The last time they lost four matches 3-0 at a world level major tournament was at the 2016 World League.
• After winning five sets in their opening two VNL fixtures, China have now won only four sets in their last five fixtures: in a 3-1 defeat against Germany and a 3-2 win over France.
• Zhang Jingyin scored 16 points in the defeat against Iran, three more than Jiang Chuan (13).
• Still, Jiang is China's top scorer in the VNL, netting 148 points.