Hamamatsu, Japan, September 29, 2018 – Kazakhstan are seeking to win their opening match for the first time against African squad Kenya in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship.
Head-to-Head
• Kazakhstan and Kenya will meet for the first time at the World Championships.
• These nations have also never met before in any other world level major competition (Nations League, Olympic Games, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup).
• Kazakhstan have faced African opposition once before at the World Championships, a 3-0 win over Cameroon in the 2006 group stage. It was Kazakhstan's only win at the 2006 World Championships (W1-L4).
• Kenya have lost all their five World Championships matches against Asian opposition, all in straight sets.
Kazakhstan• Kazakhstan will make their fourth appearance at the World Championship after 2006, 2010 and 2014.
• Kazakhstan's best result in the competition came in 2014, when they finished in 15th place.
• Kazakhstan lost their opening match on all their previous three World Championships appearances - 3-0 versus Netherlands in 2014, 3-0 against Germany in 2010 and 3-2 versus United States in 2006.
• Kazakhstan have won three of their 19 World Championships matches (16%), all three wins came in straight sets - versus Thailand (2014), Mexico (2014) and Cameroon (2006).
• Each of Kazakhstan's last nine defeats at the World Championships were by a 3-0 scoreline. Their last non-straight set defeat in the competition came versus Cuba in the 2010 first group stage (3-2 loss).
Kenya• Kenya will make their sixth appearance at the World Championship and their first since 2010.
• Kenya have lost all their 21 World Championships matches, including 17 in straight sets.
• No country has played more World Championships matches without ever claiming a single victory than Kenya (21). Tunisia lost all their 19 matches in the competition.
• Kenya have lost each of their last six World Championships matches by a 3-0 scoreline, since a five-set defeat against Costa Rica in the 2006 first group stage.