YUGOSLAVIA - Cuba 0-3

Nagoya, JAPAN, November 20 (fivb.ch) - Marshall Leonel slammed down the winner for the conquering Cubans in its opening match, putting the final nail in coffin of Olympic champion Yugoslavia 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-23).

Leading at 24-23 on the match point, Marshall wrapped up a spectacular display of his missiles by blasting over the Yugos' triple-block to claim an astonishing straight win.

The match, which was dubbed as the championship tie, was a combat of power with the team of the more fierce attacking force walking away in smile.

Big serves, storming strikes and firm blocks prevailed, while the Cubans, inspired by unstoppable strikes from the 1.98m Marshall and 1.93m Dennis Angel, took control from the start to the end Cuba, who has not won in the world after the top finish in 1998 World League, showed a class of its own by storming to a 25-20 first-set win.

Yugoslavia, who won the European championship by beating Italy twice, put up a fight, but was simply out-classed by the Cubans.

Round 1 - other results

BRAZIL - KOREA 3-1 (25-21, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19)
JAPAN - ARGENTINA 3-2 (24-26, 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 15-13)