Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Volleyball Nations League match.
Turkey have accumulated only six points in the Nations League with four matches left to play – all against opponents ranked inside the world’s top 10. Their hopes of reaching the play-offs are fading fast. The USA still have a route to the quarter-finals, but consecutive defeats to Italy and Poland have left the team on the verge of elimination.
Turkey
Turkey have managed just two wins from eight matches so far, both coming against lower-ranked sides – Bulgaria (15th in the world) and China (24th). Four of their losses came in straight sets, and they managed to take only one set each against the Netherlands and Serbia. A set ratio of 8:18 underlines their struggles even against similarly ranked teams. Against higher-calibre opponents, they have shown little sign of being competitive.
USA
The USA currently sit 13th in the standings with four victories. They recorded straight-set wins over Canada and a 3:1 success against Cuba, while also edging past China in five sets. Though they lost without taking a set to both Italy and Poland, those are two of the tournament’s strongest teams. Moreover, the Americans have won all three of their previous meetings with Turkey, including a 3:1 result last year.
Turkey vs USA Prediction
There’s a clear disparity in the level of these two teams. Turkey frequently suffer straight-set defeats and rarely trouble stronger opponents. Meanwhile, the USA maintain structure and cohesion, even in defeat. They are well placed to claim a confident victory here, likely by a margin of at least two sets.