Italy Beat Cuba to Confirm VNL Finals Place
Italy recovered from losing the opening set to beat Cuba 3–1 and confirm their place in the 2026 VNL Finals.
Italy confirmed their place in the 2026 Volleyball Nations League Finals with a 3–1 comeback victory over Cuba in Osaka.
Cuba made the stronger start and used effective serving to win the opening set 25–17. Italy struggled in reception but responded quickly in the second set and levelled the match with a 25–19 victory.
The third set remained close until Italy moved ahead late. Yuri Romanò scored the final point for a 25–21 win before the world champions controlled the fourth set 25–17.
Romanò led Italy with 17 points, including eight in the important third set. Giovanni Sanguinetti also made an impact, while Daniele Lavia played an important role during the final two sets.
The result gave Italy their eighth victory of the preliminary phase. They reached 26 points and moved into provisional fourth place.
Italy’s quarterfinal opponent will be determined after the remaining matches, with the result between USA and Poland expected to influence the final pairing.
