Bulgaria’s national volleyball team defeated the current leader in the ranking, Russia, in a tough match in the ninth round of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup 2007.

The Bulgarians won the match by 3:2 with a minimal advantage in games, 25:21, 23:25, 25:22, 23:25, 15:12, Focus news agency reported. It was the first win of Bulgaria over Russia in four years.

The win was a ‘big step’ towards Bulgaria’s classification for the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, Focus said.

Despite Bulgaria’s win, the team dropped from third to fourth place in the ranking, left behind by the US. The US defeated Japan by 3:0 and improved their point coefficient to 1.136. Bulgaria’s coefficient is 1.112.  Still, the US was to meet the tough rivals Russia and Brazil in the last two rounds of the World Cup. Bulgaria would play against Japan and Argentina on December 1 and 2.

Meanwhile, Brazil ousted Russia from the first place after wining over Argentina by 3:0.

The first three teams in the tournament will qualify for the Beijing 2008.