Italy's 39-match win streak ends as Brazil takes VNL semifinal 3-2, Velasco says defeat 'will teach us'
Italy lost to Brazil 3-2 in the Volleyball Nations League semifinal in Macao, their first defeat under coach Julio Velasco and the end of a four-tournament winning run.
Match recap
Brazil defeated Italy 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 26-24, 21-25, 15-12) in the VNL semifinal at the East Asian Games Dome in Macao, halting the Italian women's streak of 39 consecutive preliminary-phase victories and four straight tournament titles. Ana Cristina led the Brazilian side, repeatedly rescuing her team in tight moments and proving decisive in the tiebreak. Italy pushed back through strong net play from Sarah Fahr, who scored six points in the opening set, but inconsistent attacking from Antropova and errors from Egonu allowed Brazil to build leads they never surrendered.
- Italy wins 25-21, Fahr dominant at net with 6 points
- Brazil wins 25-21 after Italy starts down 2-6, Egonu errors costly
- Brazil wins 26-24, Luzia ace and Antropova inconsistency
- Italy wins 25-21, forces tiebreak with late surge
- Brazil wins 15-12, pulls away from 11-11 behind Ana Cristina
The fifth set was tied at 11-11 before Brazil pulled away to win 15-12 (one report gave 15-11). Italy briefly threatened a comeback when Fahr and Danesi blocked at the net and Antropova hit a cross-court winner, but the South Americans controlled the final rallies.
Velasco's reaction
Julio Velasco acknowledged the better side on the day without deflecting blame.
You have to admit they were better. We didn't play a good match, especially in defence and counterattack. We certainly showed grit on the court, but perhaps there was little clarity in solving certain technical situations.
He framed the loss as an unavoidable lesson for a team that had won the 2024 VNL, the 2024 Olympics, the 2025 VNL and the 2025 World Championships since his return.
It's not a cliche to say that some defeats teach more than a victory, because sooner or later we would find ourselves in this situation. Now we have to react and play a good match tomorrow.
Looking ahead
Italy will face the loser of the China-Turkey semifinal for the bronze medal. Velasco said the immediate focus was a far more precise performance, while the longer-term objective remains the European Championships. The tournament is the first under Velasco in which Italy will not play for gold. For Brazil, the final against the China-Turkey winner offers a chance to add a Nations League title to their honours.
