Alive in the fight to qualify for Paris 2024, the Cuban volleyball team will reach the next dates of the Volleyball Nations League less than one point away from Serbia, which currently has the Olympic ticket in its hands, and with important parties that will define their destiny.
The island closed last week with a victory against France that revived its aspirations, although it saw Serbia beat them by 0.91 in the world ranking that decides the last classified.
This small difference will undergo important changes on June 19, when both teams clash against each other, in what seems like a decisive duel, since winning means adding points and, at the same time, taking them away from the rival.
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A victory in that confrontation has a greater value if we take into account that the same amount that the winner adds would be what the opponent would lose, according to the ranking. Let’s see how it works.
Winning for Cuba would bring the following points: 3-0 gives 10.05 pts; 3-1 gives 7.55 points; 3-2 gives 5.05 points. These are precisely the points that Serbia would lose if it conceded in those partials.
A Caribbean victory, for example, 3-0, would mean adding 10.05 units and making the Europeans lose a similar amount: in total, an impact of 20.10 on the ranking. This would cause Serbia to fall to 241.5 points and Cuba to rise to 260.69.
In case of a defeat, for Cuba it would be as follows: 3-2: -4.95; 3-1: -7.45; 3-0: -9.95. These amounts are what Serbia would win if it won those partials.
It means that in the worst case scenario for the Caribbean –succumbing 3-0-, Serbia adds 9.95 and our team loses the same amount.
Then, we would have to wait for the following matches of a week that will define the last classified.
On the one hand, Cuba will play against Slovenia (June 20), against Bulgaria (June 21) and closes against Poland (June 23).
Serbia, for its part, will continue against Turkey (21), Poland (22) and Slovenia (23).
The fight for the Olympic ticket is a race that can be decided on the last day, but there is no doubt that Cuba’s match against Serbia, on June 19, can give an important boost.
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