16โฃ Round Frustration: Korean Men’s Volleyball Faces Final World Championship Test
KESSON CITY, Philippinesโค – The Korean men’s volleyballโ team faces aโ final challenge at the 2025 International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) World Championships, seeking too avoidโค finishing winless in Group โขC play. Led by Directorโ Yeon Ramirez, Korea will play โNorthern European side finland at 11:30 amโ on the 18th.
This โคmarks the last โฃgame for Korea, returning to the World โฃChampionship stage after an 11-year absence as 2014. The team has already suffered defeats – a โ0-3 loss to world-ranked fourth France โand a close โฃ3-1 lossโค to ninth-ranked Argentina – eliminatingโฃ them from โcontention for the round of 16.
The tournament format divides โค32 teamsโ into eight groups โof four, โคwith the top twoโ teams from โขeach groupโ advancing. โคArgentina (5 โpoints) โhas secured a spot, while France (4 points) and โFinland (3 points) battle for the โคsecond qualifying position. Korea remainsโฃ at โคtheโข bottom of โฃthe groupโ without any victory points.
Korea,โ currently ranked 26th globally, aims to secure โa winโค -โ and valuable victory โpoints – against 18th-ranked Finland.โ The tournament awards one โvictory point for a 3-0 or 3-1 win.
Finland โhas demonstrated strong form, losing a close 2-3 match โขto Argentina and upsetting France 3-2โข in โa rematch of last year’s โencounter.โค
Historically, Korea holds a 4-9 losing record against Finland. Former national team coach Kimโ Ho-cheol secured a 3-2 victory โover Finland at the โขFIVB World League Seoul Conference on June 4, โ2017, but acknowledged past struggles against their height and โpower.
Key Finnish players to watch include opposite spiker Jonas Yojila, who scored 20 points against France, and outside hitterโฃ Luca Martila, who contributed โ15 points. Korea will โขrely on the โoffensive contributions of left and right side attackersโข Huh Soo-bong (Hyundaiโข Capital) andโฃ lim Dong-hyuk (Armed Forces Sports Forces).
(Photo = FIVB Homepage Capture, Yonhap News)