Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Women's Volleyball Nations League match.
Italy currently lead the overall standings, albeit by a slim one-point margin. Both Brazil and Poland are in close contention, showing consistent form in recent rounds. At this stage, dropping points is not an option. Next up, the Italians take on Belgium, who sit 14th in the standings.
Italy (women)
Italy remain the only unbeaten squad in the competition. Even more impressively, they have only been pushed to a tiebreak in two matches—against top-level sides such as Japan and Germany. The absence of a standout scorer has not hampered their performance; instead, three different players regularly contribute over 10 points per match, showcasing the squad’s depth and attacking versatility.
Belgium (women)
Belgium have won their last two matches, although those came against South Korea and Canada—both of whom are rooted to the bottom of the standings. When facing stronger opposition, they have struggled; in three games against top-eight teams, the Belgian team managed to win only a single set, highlighting their limitations against high-calibre opponents.
Italy (women) vs Belgium (women) Prediction
There is a clear gap in quality between the two teams. Belgium lack both elite individual talent and a coherent tactical setup. It is hard to see how they can compete on level terms with the current best squad in the world. A dominant and straightforward victory for the home side is expected.
