China's Wang Haichuan(front) spikes the ball aganist Argentian volleyball team player during their match at the FIVB men's Volleyball World Championship in Saitama, Japan November 19, 2006.   Nov.20 - Argentina rallied back from one set down to beat China 3-2, receiving their first victory in the men's volleyball World Championships in Saitama, Japan on Sunday.

 

Argentina, who lost to Purto Rico and Poland in the previous matches, defeated China 22-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-17, 17-15 in one hour and 44 minutes.

 

Due to a slow start and a string of unforced errors, Argentina lost the first set 25-22, but controlled the rhythm of the second set, pulling it back 25-21.

 

In the third set, China took the early leads 8-6 and 16-13 before presenting a world-class performance with a 9-3 run to finish the set 25-16.

 

Argentina, who ranked sixth in the 2002 World Championship, soon geared up in the fourth set to overwhelm China totally and forced the match into the decider with a 25-17 win.

 

Both sides fought fiercely and the fifth set became a tit-for-tat battlefield till 15-all before Gaston Giani scored the last two winning points for Argentina for the great comeback victory.

 

China will play Egypt on Tuesday, while Argentina fights against host Japan.