Amidst thunderous cheers from a boisterous crowd, China booked their ticket to the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) semifinals for the first time since 2019, with a 3-1 victory over South American giants Brazil in Arlington, the United States. 

Brazil is no stranger to China, with whom they have crossed paths on many occasions. The three-time Olympic champions encountered Brazil in their league opener, and it was a nail-biting five-set match that saw China emerge victorious after a grueling battle. 

Cai Bin's team put up another impressive display of defensive prowess and resiliency in their quarterfinal showdown with Brazil on Thursday. With captain Yuan Xinyue in top form, China managed to neutralize the opposition's potent attacking force, and came away with a 25-21, 25-20, 20-25, 25-23 win at the College Park Center.

The stats indicate that Brazil had a commanding lead in serving points, with a score of 8-1. However, they were also responsible for twice as many unforced errors as China, costing them a total of 30 points. Brazil's star attacker Thaisa Menezes registered a game-high 18 points, while China's Li Yingying wasn't far behind with 16 points.  

Both sides had three players who scored in double digits, highlighting their impressive offensive capabilities. But in the end, it was China's solid defense that secured them the hard-fought triumph. 

"Brazil are a great team, but we prepared really well for this match," Li told reporters. "We were ready for the difficult moments they put us into and had the determination to win... Our blocking wasn't as good before, but we worked on it in training and it was much better. We need to keep the same focus and to keep going."

It's been a while since China made it to the last four of VNL, with their last appearance being four years ago, where they ultimately bagged a bronze medal. Last year's contest was not up to par for China, as they ended up finishing in sixth place. However, after taking part in numerous competitions and undergoing rigorous training sessions, this young team has grown more mature and stable. 

Next up for China is a much-anticipated matchup against Poland, who swatted aside Germany 3-1 on Wednesday. The biggest surprise package of the tournament, Poland boast a remarkable record of 10 wins and two losses in the preliminary phase, making them the most outstanding team in the VNL so far.  

Later in the day, Türkiye upset defending champions Italy with an emphatic 3-0 win and will take on hosts the United States, who beat Japan 3-1, in the semifinals.