The Atlas Arena in Łódź was packed to the rafters for the final match in Pool H as they sensed that a raucous atmosphere would help push the Polish players over the line in their clash with their more vaunted opponents.

The home side responded by racing into a two set lead, 25-22, 25-22 with Mariusz Wlazly contributing 17 of those points.

But Russia are not Olympic champions for nothing and they gritted their teeth to come powering back into the match and levelling after taking the third and fourth sets 25-21, 25-22 to set up a decider.

Dmitriy Ilinykh and Dmitriy Muserskiy were the star men for the Russians, spiking and striking their way to 22 and 16 points respectively.

With the decibels rising inside the arena it was set up for a nail-biting finish and it was the Poles who surfed on the wave of partisan noise to power their way to a 15-11 victory in the final set with a diagonal spike from Michael Kubiak sealing the win.

The win means Poland remain on track to become the first host nation to win the World Championships since Czechoslovakia in 1966.

The packed Atlas Arena cheered on as Poland powered to the semi-finals in Łódź ©Twitter



Russia will remain in Łódź to take on Iran in the fifth-sixth playoff after the Iranians lost out to France in another match that went all the way at the Spodek Hall in Katowice.

Similar to the contest in Łódź, France looked home and hosed after taking the first two sets 25-20, 25-23.

Iran began their own fight back by clinching the third set 25-22 and with the irrepressible Shahram Mahmoudi finding his range and they powered their way to the fourth, 25-19.

Nicholas Marechal then stepped up to the plate when his team needed him as he began putting the Iranians on the back foot with some superb serving which helped the French close out the match 15-9 to seal a 3-2 win and top Pool G.

"I'm very happy for the victory," said France coach Laurent Tillie.

"We were afraid of this team, we saw them playing in Florence in the Final Six of the World League.

"The setter and middle players are very quick, although they are not the tallest.

"Qualification is fantastic for us."

France will now take on reigning champions Brazil, while Poland will meet Germany with both matches scheduled for the Spodek Hall in Katowice on Saturday (September 20).

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