Nakayoji Ayano of Hisamitsu Springs Kobe sets the ball in her team's opening match victroy against Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul.
Zurich, Switzerland, May 8, 2015 - The reigning CEV Cup winners Dinamo Krasnodar take on the reigning Asian Champions Hisamitsu Springs Kobe, seeking the last remaining semifinal berth on the closing day of pool play at the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship.
It's Hisamitsu Springs, aiming to become the first Japanese team to reach the medals round, that have the advantage, as they only need to claim two sets to join Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul in qualifying from Pool B.
Dinamo, after a shocking performance in their opening match against Eczacibasi, need nothing less than a 3-0 or 3-1 victory for the full three points to go through to the semifinals.
The match begins at 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT) at the Saalsporthalle.
Head-to-head· Hisamitsu Springs Kobe will meet Dinamo Krasnodar for the first time in the competition.
· Last year, Hisamitsu Springs lost both of their group matches including one against Russian side Dynamo Kazan (3-1).
Hisamitsu Springs· Hisamitsu Springs beat 2015 CEV Champions Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul in five sets in their first match of this year’s Club World Championship tournament. Now they need to win two sets to advance to the semifinals.
· They became the second Asian side to beat European opposition in this competition (in 10 meetings between nations from these continents), after Chinese side Guangdong Evergrande’s win over Voléro Zurich 3-1 in the 2013 bronze medal match.
· Hisamitsu Springs can become the first Japanese team to reach the semifinals. Hitachi Rivale (1991, 1992) and Hisamitsu Springs (2014) were ousted in the pool phase.
· Yuki Ishii celebrates her 24th birthday on the day of the match.
Dinamo Krasnodar· The Russian side need to win this match by at least a two-set margin to advance to the semi-finals.
· Krasnodar started their campaign with a straight sets defeat against 2015 CEV Cup winners Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul.
· Krasnodar were the second Russian team to lose a match in straight sets in Club World Championship competition. In 1994 Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg suffered a 3-0 defeat against in the semi-finals against Parmalat Matera.
· Krasnodar can become the first Russian side to be eliminated in the pool phase. Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg finished third in 1992 and fourth in 1994, while Dynamo Kazan are the reigning champions.