Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Women's Volleyball Nations League match.
The second semi-final clash in the Women's Nations League will see Brazil face off against Japan. These two teams already met during the group stage, where Brazil delivered a dominant performance, winning in straight sets: 25:17, 25:18, 25:20. Will we witness another one-sided result?
Brazil (women)
Following a shaky start to the group stage, Brazil have since found impressive form. Júlia Bergmann has been central to the squad's balance, leading the tournament in average blocks per match with 4.15. Offensively, the duo of Ana Cristina Menezes and Júlia Bergmann have been outstanding, contributing a combined average of 29.6 points per game.
Japan (women)
Japan have historically struggled against Brazil. One of the key issues lies in defensive play near the net. Among the squad, only Haruyo Shimamura averages more than one block per match, at 1.18. While their attacking line was able to compensate for this vulnerability against weaker opponents, it is unlikely to be enough against this squad.
Brazil (women) vs Japan (women) Prediction
The recent group stage meeting clearly highlighted the disparity in quality between these squads. Since then, Japan have not shown notable improvement in their defensive statistics, and we doubt they have enough to challenge for a place in the final. At best, they might be able to take a single set.
