Finland will try to defend their home court when they face Portugal in the city of Vaasa in the FIVB Volleyball World League
Vaasa, Finland, June 2, 2015 – Finland will host Portugal for the upcoming weekend of the FIVB Volleyball World League at Vaasa, the second northwestern city in Finland to host the tournament after the city of Oulu.
Finland and Portugal will play in Vaasa Ice Hall, the same venue of the Power Cup, which will feature 7,000 junior players and almost 900 teams in the tournament from June 4 to 7.
Finland and Portugal are still seeking for their first victory in the World League. Finland lost all its four matches against Belgium, getting only two points, while Portugal lost two matches to the Netherlands, receiving only one point in their matches in Matosinhos.
Last weekend, Finland lost both their matches with a 3-1 scoreline. Finland coach Tuomas Sammelvuo wants to see his team do better in their home game.
“We had to breathe a little and then plan ahead for the big weekend at Vaasa,” Sammelvuo said. “It will be a great atmosphere in front of young volleyball players, just like last time in Lahti in 2011, when we played Argentina.”
Portugal had two weekends off from the World League, playing the CEV European Championship third round qualifiers against Slovenia. Portugal lost an away match in straight sets, and then bounced back in the tiebreaker in their home match. The 3-2 victory, however, did not get them a qualification slot to the European Championship 2015. Finland, on the other hand, got their slot at the European Championship directly through the second round.
The two teams have met 30 times before, which Finland have an edge in victories at 21-9 wins. The last two encounters of these two teams were at the European Championship qualifiers last year, with Finland winning both matches, 3-2 at Vila do Conde, Portugal and 3-1 at Vantaa, Finland.
The two teams have previously met in the World League ten times – four times each in 2006 and 2011, and twice in 2013. Finland have won six times, while Portugal won four times. In their matches in Finland, Poland have only won once in six encounters.