Cuban duo Diaz Alayo advances to semifinals at Russian Beach Volleyball League

HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 5 (ACN) Cubans Noslen Diaz and Jorge Luis Alayo secured a spot today in the semifinal round of the 2025 Russian Beach Volleyball League's Victoria Cup, which will be held in Minsk, Belarus.

Diaz and Alayo advanced thanks to their 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) quarterfinal victory over Dmitry Veretyuk and Fedor Sabaev of the Obninsk club, a pair they had already defeated in three previous matches this season, all with straight sets.

Cubans have three wins in this phase, having emerged victorious in both of their group matches, held the day before.

Their first victory came against Myskiv and Sivolap (Prosneg, Moscow) 2-0 (21-18, 21-15), whom they had defeated for the bronze medal at the Novy Urengoy stage on August 16, and earlier, on July 14, at the Moscow Cup quarterfinals.

In the following match, they defeated Ivanov and Arkhipov (Dynamo) 2-0 (21-17, 21-16), also defeated by the Cubans in the semifinal of the round held on Sakhalin Island in the Pacific Ocean.

This Friday, Cuba will seek another victory that will put them in contention for the title for the fifth time, having already won four times, winning three gold medals and one silver.

They also have a bronze medal at this Russian championship.

The Cuban Olympic duo is preparing under the direction of Francisco Alvarez Cutiño to compete in their third world championship, scheduled for Adelaide, Australia, November 14 to 23.