REAL BATTLE BEGINS

Alas Pilipinas seeks to make a historic finals appearance when it battles Kazakhstan in the semifinals of the AVC Challenge Cup today at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Game time is at 7 p.m. with the Filipinas heavily favored, not only because of their superior firepower that led to an impressive performance in the classification phase, but also because they will be playing before the local fans who are expected to cheer their hearts out to boost the national morale.

Meanwhile, Southeast Asian powerhouse Vietnam will confront Australia in the other semifinal pairing at 4 p.m. while India and Indonesia will tip things off in the classification match at 10 a.m. followed by another classification battle between Hong Kong and Iran at 1 p.m.

Over at nearby Ninoy Aquino Stadium, cellar-dwellers Chinese Taipei and Singapore will try to salvage some measure of pride when they dispute the ninth spot of this second-tier continental event that serves as a gateway to the FIVB Challenger Cup and the Volleyball Nations League.

Alas Pilipinas will be marching to war oozing with confidence.

Ranged against countries who fielded their developmental teams, the Filipinas displayed their firepower early on as they crushed Australia and India in four sets.

Against Chinese Taipei, a developmental team composed of college girls with an average age of just 18 years old, the Filipinas were at their best as they carved a masterful 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 victory on Sunday night.

Japan V. League campaigner Jia de Guzman was impressive in mapping out the plays while Chery Tiggo star Eya Laure lit up the scoreboard with 12 attacks, two aces and a block to finish with 15 points.

Professional players Vannie Gandler of Cignal and Faith Nisperos of Akari also helped carry the scoring load, finishing 12 and nine markers apiece for the home squad, which had the luxury of resting star spikers Angel Canino and Sisi Rondina to keep them fresh in the medal round.

But against Kazakhstan, Alas Pilipinas coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito of Brazil needs all hands on deck to secure the victory that will assure them of their first ever Challenge Cup medal after finishing seventh last year.

Kazakhstan, in fact, is a veteran team with an average age of 27 years old and an average height of 5-foot-9.

Skipper Sana Anarkulova, a 6-foot-2 spiker from Altay VC, serves as Kazakhstan’s offensive leader who hopes to duplicate her 15-hit performance against the Filipinos during their thrilling five-set victory over the Philippines in the classification match of the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018.

Anarkulova fired 21 points in their four-set loss to Vietnam before bouncing back with 19 attacks, two blocks, and one ace for a 22-point effort when they booked an easy 25-17, 25-18, 25-4 victory over Hong Kong that formally gave them the No. 2 spot in Group B entering the semifinals.

Kazakhstan, in fact, is a veteran team with an average age of 27 years old and an average height of 5-foot-9.

De Guzman, who was part of the team that bowed to Kazakhstan in the Asian Games, admitted that the battle will not be easy.

“Kazakhstan is a very strong team, very tall also. So, we had experiences with tall and tough teams in our bracket, and we expect to prepare for that in our training tomorrow with coach Jorge,” De Guzman said.

“What we went through wasn’t easy, and we know what we’ll go through in the future won’t be easy because the semifinals are at a different level. So, we’re just going in with a positive mindset.”

De Brito agrees, saying that they have to prepare hard knowing that the Kazakhs will not easily give up as they are also looking to advance to the finals against the survivor between Vietnam and Australia.

“It will be a tough game. All of us have (to handle) the challenge in the coming days, because (we) start from 0 now. It is one win, and another one, okay,” said De Brito, who is looking to come up with a podium finish in his final assignment as head coach of the Philippines.

“We already strategized against Kazakhstan. Since yesterday we have already put up (on) what we should do. The guys are already aware of that, now we just have to put it into action.”