Lausanne, Switzerland, September 13, 2017 – Both France and USA have a 1-1 win-loss record after two competition days at the 2017 FIVB Men's World Grand Champions Cup in Japan. As they meet each other in the second match on Friday’s schedule they will be fighting to register their second tournament victory. The game in Osaka will be their first encounter in the history of the Grand Champions Cup.
Head-to-Head
• USA and World Grand Champions Cup debutants France will meet for the first time in the competition.
• These nations clashed twice in the 2017 World League, with France winning both fixtures.
• USA's last competitive win over France came at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, when they recorded a 3-1 preliminary round victory.
France
• France rebounded from a straight-set loss to Brazil on Tuesday by defeating hosts Japan in straight sets on Wednesday.
• France can claim two straight-set wins in a row in competitive matches for the second time this year, after wins against Canada and Belgium in the 2017 World League.
• France are making their Grand Champions Cup debut. No team taking part in their first Grand Champions Cup have won this competition since Italy won the inaugural edition in 1993.
• Barthelemy Chinenyeze has scored eight points from stuff blocks, most of all players.
USA
• USA started their 2017 Grand Champions Cup with a straight-set victory over Japan on Tuesday, before dropping a five-setter against Iran on Wednesday.
• USA have yet to win this tournament to improve on their best showing at the Grand Champions Cup: a runner-up finish in 2005.
• USA have now lost four of their last six matches at the Grand Champions Cup, after winning five in a row in the competition.