Opposite attacker Fernando Hernandez again led the Cuban attack with 19
points while team captain Wilfredo Leon contributed 11 units to the
winners’ cause. Kunihiro Shimizu and Daisuke Yako led the Japanese squad
with 16 and 13 points, respectively.

The Caribbean team concluded the first preliminary phase in Nagoya with a
0-3 loss to Poland and two straight-set wins over Iran and Japan.

In other results on Tuesday, Italy surprisingly edged triple world
champions and pre-tournament favorite Brazil 3-2 (25-16, 20-25, 18-25,
25-21, 22-20), Poland improved their win-loss record to 3-0 by rallying to
a four-set win (18-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-22) over Argentina, an inspired
Iran posted a five-set victory (25-17, 18-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-11) over
2011 European champions Serbia, Egypt swept China 3-0 (25-20, 25-20,
25-18), and Russia cruised to a 3-0 victory (25-18, 25-18, 26-24) over the
United States.

After these results, Russia and Poland top the general standings with
three victories in as many outings, followed by Brazil, Cuba, Argentina,
Italy, and Iran, all with two wins and one loss. The United States and
Egypt have one victory and two losses apiece, while winless Japan, Serbia
and China are at the bottom.

Cuba will play the second preliminary phase in Osaka, where they will face
Argentina (Nov. 24) and Serbia (Nov. 25). Later on, they will play in
Hamamatsu against Italy (Nov. 27), Brazil (Nov. 28) and Russia (Nov. 29).
Finally, the Cuban side will go to Tokyo, where they will take on China
(Dec. 2), the United States (Dec. 3), and Egypt (Dec. 4).

The event grants tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games to the top
three finishers, who will join Great Britain as they have already secured
a berth as the host country.

Brazil have won the two last World Cups in 2003 and 2007 and are the
second team in volleyball history to win back-to-back titles after the
former Soviet Union, which won the trophy in 1977 and 1981, along with
1965 and 1991. The only other winners of the tournament have been East
Germany in 1969, USA in 1985, Cuba in 1989, and Italy in 1995.