Bulgarian national volleyball team coach Martin Stoev said that he hoped Bulgaria would defeat its next rivals, US and Brazil, in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup 2007 in Japan.

We played tough matches in the first phase, but we registered three wins (…) Two other tough matches are ahead of us and I hope we will win,” Stoev said as quoted by Darik Radio.

Bulgarian team would try to defeat the US at all cost, Stoev said.

Bulgaria plays against the US on November 22 and against the world and Olympic champion Brazil a day later.

Bulgaria was a strong rival while the Brazilian volleyball team was performing with varying success in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup 2007 in Japan, Brazil’s coach Bernardo Rezende said. The team from Bulgaria, as well as Puerto Rico showed stable play, he said.

Bulgaria defeated Spain, Egypt and Puerto Rico in the first phase of the tournament, which is a qualification for the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008.