Khalifa: The pressure to win was on Tunisia

Riffa, Bahrain, August 22, 2017 – Bahrain coach Yusuf Khalifa said that the match was easier for his team as the pressure was on Tunisia in their four-set encounter in the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship at the Isa City Sports Hall on Tuesday.

Bahrain coach Yusuf Khalifa: I think the game was easier for us because all the pressure to win was on the Tunisian team. We were able to take the first two sets, but they returned in the third and that proved why they are champions of Africa. We are glad that we were able to end it in the fourth set and relieve some pressure on our players.

We have to forget everything at this point. We will face different teams in the next stage and we have to be confident in what we are capable of.

Bahrain captain Saif Yusuf: Our first aim today was to beat the African champions, and second second was to get a good position for the Round of 16. People had doubts that we could qualify to the next stage, but we will now enter that stage and fight until the end.

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Tunisia coach Chokri Bouzidi: The Bahrain team was prepared for this match more than my team. The level of Bahrain’s libero amazed me. He was superb and he was the key to their victory.

We lost again as we were not really prepared for this tournament, but we gained experience for the players. We can select maybe one or two from this group for the men’s team.

Tunisia captain Atef El Khadim: Bahrain were much stronger and more focused. They fought hard and had teamwork. Our team was out of form. We were not prepared for this tournament. I believe that whatever tournament we will next play in, we will be better.