Tokyo, Japan, May 21, 2016 - Kazakhstan have not won any matches at the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Japan yet and Sunday's game against already qualified Italy is their last chance.
Head-to-head
• Italy and Kazakhstan will meet for the first time at a World Olympic Qualification tournament.
• These teams met once at the Olympic Games. In 2008, Italy prevailed in straight sets.
• Italy also won the last two meetings at world level tournaments - a 3-2 win at the 2011 World Grand Prix and a 3-0 win at the 2013 World Grand Prix.
Italy
• Italy have qualified for their fifth consecutive Olympic Games. They hope to win a medal for the first time in Rio.
• Italy can still win the this World Olympic Qualification tournament. Their last win of a major tournament was the 2011 Worald Cup.
• They finished first in the 2000 World Olympic Qualification tournament.
• Cristina Chirichella added nine blocks to her total in the 3-2 win against Japan and she leads all players with 24 stuff blocks.
Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan are winless in this year's competition and are out of contention for the Olympic Games.
• They hope to avoid becoming the fourth team to lose all seven matches at a World Olympic Qualification tournaments after Chinese Taipei (1996, 2012), Canada (2000) and Nigeria (2004).
• They had finished their previous campaign in 2008 with two wins. Their only wins at World Olympic Qualification tournaments.
• Kazakhstan's last wins in competitive matches came at the 2015 World Grand Prix in June 2015, when they beat Algeria, Australia and Cuba in successive matches.