Cairo, Egypt, July 28, 2015 - Hosts Egypt and Tunisia secured berths at the FIVB Volleyball World Cup Japan 2015 by winning their semifinal matches against Morocco and Algeria at the Men's African Nations Championship held at the Cairo Stadium Complex in Egypt on Tuesday.
Egypt defeated dark horses Morocco 3-0 (25-17, 28-26, 25-20), while Tunisia needed 121 minutes to upset Algeria 3-2 (19-25, 25-22, 27-25, 21-25, 15-12) in the second semifinal.
Egypt will take on Tunisia in the African final on Thursday to determine the champions of the 20th edition of the cup. Algeria play Morocco in another North African face-off to decide the bronze medallists.
Egyptian Minister of Sports Khalid Abdel Aziz led the guests of honour attending the matches, joined by CAVB President Dr. Amr Elwani, Egyptian Volleyball Federation President Foad Abdel Salam and 19 national federation presidents.
The ranking matches will be held on Wednesday as Rwanda take on Cameroon for 5th and 6th place - Kenya meet Botswana for 7th and 8th.
Semifinals 1-4
Egypt v Morocco 3-0 (25-17, 28-26, 25-20)
Egypt cruised past Morocco 3-0 (25-17, 28-26, 25-20) in the semifinals in 83 minutes and qualified for the final where they will play Tunisia. Morocco take on Algeria for the bronze medals.
Egypt's opposite spiker Ahmed Salah led the scorers with 18 points, followed by Mohamed Badawy with 15 points. Outside hitter Zohair Elgaraoui led Morocco's scorers with 9 points, equal to Mohamed Allaoui and Mohamed Hachdadi.
Egypt controlled the match from the start, using strong spike serves and a tight block to win 25-17 in the first set. Morocco improved their blocking in the second set and missed two set points before Egypt won 28-26. The third set was again an Egyptian show of dominance, ending 25-20.
Tunisia v Algeria 3-2 (19-25, 25-22, 27-25, 21-25, 15-12)
Tunisia won their Men's African Nations Championship semifinal against Algeria in a 3-2 tiebreaker (19-25, 25-22, 27-25, 21-25, 15-12) lasting 121 minutes.
Opposite Marouen Garci led the Tunisian scorers with 26 points, including three aces. Ismail Moalla scored 13. Middle blocker Amine Oumessad led Algeria's scorers with 24, followed by Toufik Mahdjoubi on 21.
Playoffs for places 5 to 8
Rwanda v Kenya 3-2 (17-25, 25-22, 26-28, 25-15, 15-13)
Rwanda fought for two hours and came back twice from 0-1 and 1-2 to overcome Kenya 3-2 (17-25, 25-22, 26-28, 25-15, 15-13) in the playoffs for positions 5 to 8. Now Rwanda will play for fifth place, while Kenya battle for the seventh.
Christophe Mukunzi led Rwanda's scorers after he contributed 24 points. Opposite Guma Yakan added 18 points, while Kenya's Micheal Chemos scored 24 for his team as best in his side, followed by Philip Maiyo with 16 points.
Cameroon v Botswana 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-17)
Cameroon defeated Botswana 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-17) in the fifth to eighth place playoffs. The winners used most of their substitutes and needed only 72 minutes to secure a victory to play for the places 5 and 6 against Rwanda. Losers Botswana will play Kenya for places seven and eight.
Carlos Wabo of Cameroon scored 13 points, while Kabo Moetse contributed 15 for Botswana. Cameroon dominated blocks (9/4 ratio in kill blocks) and serves (6/2 in Aces).
Programme on July 29, 2015
Ranking matches 5 to 8
7-8 16:00 Kenya v Botswana
5-6 18:00 Rwanda v Kenya
Programme on July 30, 2015
Finals 1 to 4
3-4 15:00 Morocco v Algeria
1-2 17:00 Egypt v Tunisia
2015 Men's African Nations Championship - Top performances
Top Scoring Performances
30 - Jean Ndaki of Cameroon v Tunisia (July 23)
27 - Mohamed Hachdadi of Morocco v Cameroon (July 24)
26 - Marouen Garci of Tunisia v Algeria (July 28)
25 - Mohamed Hachdadi of Morocco v Tunisia (July 26)
24 - Christophe Mukunzi of Rwanda v Kenya (July 28)
24 - Michael Chemos of Kenya v Rwanda (July 28)
23 - Mohamed Hachdadi of Morocco v Mauritius (July 25)
22 - Jean Ndaki of Cameroon v Morocco (July 24)
20 - Marouen Garci of Tunisia v Morocco (July 26)
20 - Mohammed Hachdadi of Morocco v Rwanda (July 22)
19 - Toufik Mahdjoubi of Algeria v Botswana (July 23)
19 - Ahmed Salah of Egypt v Algeria (July 25)
18 - Ahmed Salah of Egypt v Morocco (July 28)
18 - Elyes Karamosli of Tunisia v Cameroon (July 23)
17 - Michael Chemos of Kenya v Algeria (July 24)
16 - Ayoub Dikkiche of Algeria v Egypt (July 25)
16 - Mohamed Chikhi of Algeria v Kenya (July 24)
16 - Toufik Mahdjoubi of Algeria v Kenya (July 24)
16 - Marouane Garci of Tunisia v Cameroon (July 23)
14 - Guma Yakan of Rwanda v Mauritius (July 23)
14 - Christophe Mukunzi of Rwanda v Mauritius (July 23)
14 - Alfred Mandez of Mauritius v Rwanda (July 23)
Top Blocking Performances
8 - Marchal Kwizera of Rwanda v Kenya (July 28)
7 - Amine oumssad of Algeria v Tunisia (July 28)
7 - Skander Ben Tara of Tunisia v Algeria (July 28)
6 - Mohamed Hachdadi of Morocco v Mauritius (July 25)
5 - Nongni Mefani of Cameroon v Morocco (July 24)
4 - Marchal Kwizera of Rwanda v Cameroon (July 26)
4 - Sofiane Bouyoucef of Algeria v Egypt (July 25)
4 - Mohamed Hachdadi of Morocco v Cameroon (July 24)
4 - Kamal Ouali of Morocco v Cameroon (July 24)
4 - Skander Ben Tara of Tunisia v Mauritius (July 24)
4- Skander Ben Tara of Tunisia v Cameroon (July 23)
4 - Mohamed Chikhi of Algeria v Botswana (July 23)
4 - Zouhair Elgaraoui of Morocco v Rwanda (July 22)
4 - Mohammed Hachdadi of Morocco v Rwanda (July 22)
Top Blocking Performances by Team
21 - Algeria v Tunisia (July 28)
18 - Rwanda v Kenya (July 28)
16 - Morocco v Rwanda (July 22)
14 - Tunisia v Morocco (July 26)
13 - Algeria v Tunisia (July 28)
13 - Morocco v Cameroon (July 24)
13 - Cameroon v Morocco (July 24)
12 - Tunisia v Mauritius (July 24)
12 - Tunisia v Cameroon (July 23)
12 - Cameroon v Tunisia (July 23)
11 - Cameroon v Mauritius (July 22)
Top Serving Performances
4 - Toufik Mahdjoubi of Algeria v Botswana (July 23)
3 - Maroen Garci of Tunisia v Algeria (July 28)
3 - Hudson Wanyama of Kenya v Rwanda (July 28)
3 - Ivan Nsabimana of Rwanda v Tunisia (July 25)
3 - Sofiane Bouyoucef of Algeria v Kenya (July 24)
3 - Khalid Ben Slimane of Tunisia v Cameroon (July 23)
3 - Hossam Youssef of Egypt v Kenya (July 22)
3 - Mohammed Hachdadi of Morocco v Rwanda (July 22)
3 - Mohammed Hachdadi of Morocco v Mauritius(July 25)
Top Serving Performances by Team
9 - Egypt v Kenya (July 22)
7 - Tunisia v Mauritius (July 24)
7 - Algeria v Botswana (July 23)
6 - Tunisia v Algeria (July))
6 - Kenya v Rwanda (July 28)
5 - Rwanda v Kenya (July 28)
5 - Tunisia v Cameroon (July 23)
5 - Cameroon v Tunisia (July 23)
4 - Morocco v Rwanda (July 22)
4 - Rwanda v Morocco (July 22)
4 - Tunisia v Rwanda (July 25)
4 - Rwanda v Tunisia (July 25)
Highest Scorer by Round
Day 1: 20 - Mohammed Hachdadi of Morocco v Rwanda (July 22)
Day 2: 30 - Jean Ndaki of Cameroon v Tunisia (July 23)
Day 3: 27 - Mohamed Hachdadi of Morocco v Cameroon (July 24)
Day 4: 23 - Mohamed Hachdadi of Morocco v Mauritius (July 25)
Day 5: 25 - Mohamed Hachdadi of Morocco v Tunisia (July 26)
Day 6: 26 - Marouen Garci of Tunisia v Algeria (July 28)
Highest Set Score
Day 1: Morocco v Rwanda, 25-23 (July 22)
Day 2: Rwanda v Mauritius 26-24 (July 23)
Day 3: Morocco v Cameroon 30-28 (July 24)
Day 4: Morocco v Mauritius 28-26 (July 25)
Day 5: Tunisia v Morocco 29-27 (July 26)
Day 6: Kenya v Rwanda 28-26 (July 28)
Egypt v Morocco 28-26 (July 28)
Highest Scoring Matches
Day 1: Cameroon v Mauritius (July 22) 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-18) – 133 points
Day 2: Cameroon v Tunisia (July 23) 3-2 (25-23, 12-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-12) - 205 points
Day 3: Cameroon v Morocco (July 24) 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 30-28, 25-21) - 193 points
Day 4: Egypt v Algeria (July 25) 3-2 (24-26, 25-19 ,25-20, 22-25, 15-10) - 211 Points
Day 5: Tunisia v Morocco (July 26) 3-1 (25-19, 16-25, 25-22, 29-27) - 188 points
Day 6: Tunisia v Algeria (July 28) 3-2 (19-25, 25-22, 27-25, 21-25, 15-12) - 216 points