Tokyo, November 29, 1998 - Men's Volleyball national team failed to repeat success from previous matches and after the defeat in the finals 0:3 (12:15, 5:15, 10:15) by Italian team won silver medal.
Regardless of defeat, second place in the world is the biggest success of Yugoslav volleyball. After 10 wins and only two lost matches, best Yugoslav players reached the silver. It seemed gold medal was at hand since they defeated the same opponent in the quarterfinals by 3:0. However, the exhaustion of Yugoslav players after a series of matches made it easier for Italians to reach victory.
Italian team started the match decisively and scored a lead of 5:1. Yugoslav team with Batez, Vladimir and Nikola Grbic, Geric, Mester and Vujevic managed to score a 6:6 tie, and at that moment it seemed they would take a lead. However, block didn't function, and service, one of the strongest weapons of Yugoslav team in preceding matches failed this time. After many service changes, Italians again took a lead by 7:6 and soon it was 9:6. Yugoslavs managed to tie to 9:9, but Italians than scored three points in a row. Last tie was with the score 12:12, when after a small series Italian team won the first set by 15:12.
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Yugoslavs scored the first advantage in second set (2:1). Coach Gajic tried to stimulate the team bringing in Djurich in the place of Batez. Italians however, score six points in a row and are ahead five points (7:2). Gajic tries to stop them bringing in captain Tanaskovic. After quite a while Yugoslavs score a point and when a chance appeared to change the score, judges come to a questionable decision annulling their forth point. This was maybe crucial in the second set since after that Italians took complete control. First they had the lead of 13:3 and than with a third set-ball they won the set by 15:5.
In the third set Italians are constantly ahead. The only hope arose half way in the set when Yugoslavs scored a tie (7:7) thanks to inspired Djordje Djuric. That is when everything was decided since Italians again scored 5-point advantage and were closer to victory than ever. Yugoslav players managed to save only few match-balls. Italy won the third set by 15:10 and took hold of the gold medal for the third time in a row on World championships.
As we said, Yugoslavs were tired after a strenuous competition. Block and service didn't function, especially service of Goran Vujevich who wasn't as effective as in previous matches. Nevertheless, Vujevich quite deservedly won a title of best service batter of the Championship and a 50 000 dollars award.
Yugoslav team made great impression in this championship with its imaginative and efficient play. Djordje Djuric, Vladimir Batez, Zeljko Tanaskovic, Slobodan Boskan, Djula Mester, Nikola and Vladimir Grbic, Andrija Geric, Goran Vujevic, Ivan Miljkovic, Veljko Petkovic and Igor Vusurovic headed by coach Zoran Gajic showed they are world class players with great perspective.
