China have developed a knack for raising their game when facing the United States on the grandest stages of women's volleyball. Even when they come up short, they often give their American counterparts a run for their money. Despite the U.S. having won the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) three times and securing a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, in their most recent five encounters, China hold a slight advantage with three victories and two losses.

In a classic showdown last year in Suwon, South Korea, China exhibited their incredible resilience by coming back from being down a set twice, ultimately emerging with a sensational victory. As the new season of the VNL shifted to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, China and the U.S. once again found themselves on a collision course. China displayed their astonishing tenacity once more, overcoming the precarious situation of dropping the first set to mount a fightback and eventually outclassing the mighty U.S. with a 3-1 win.

Due to the deep familiarity between the two powerhouses, both sides swiftly found their groove. The U.S. capitalized on their swift and aggressive attacking plays to gain an early edge, while China relied on their unwavering defense to keep the scores tight. However, China's offensive performance displayed some inconsistency, resulting in a lower success rate.

After encountering difficulties in receiving the ball, China coach Cai Bin made a strategic substitution, replacing the underperforming Wu Mengjie with Wang Yunlu and bolstering the team's serving prowess with the introduction of Zhang Changning. Unfortunately, these adjustments yielded minimal results as the U.S. claimed the first set with a narrow 25-23 victory.

The second set remained fiercely contested, but China managed to reduce their error rate and, towards the end of the set, turned the tables with tenacious counterattacks, ultimately winning 25-23 to level the score. In the third set, the U.S. started strongly, consistently scoring points and gaining momentum. As China fell behind and found themselves against the wall, they called a timeout to regroup.

Returning to the court, China's outside hitter Li Yingying's powerful attacks brought the score closer, and Wang Yuanyuan's ace helped the team catch up to a 13-13 tie. Towards the end of the set, trailing 19-21, China scored three consecutive points to surpass their opponents and achieved a hard-earned 25-22 victory, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.

In the fourth set, China's confidence was riding high as they relentlessly launched a series of proactive attacks. Cai's team also bolstered their defense by incorporating more players in the blocking formation to counter the American team's attempts.

These strategic adjustments proved effective, forcing their opponents to call timeouts on two occasions. Following the timeouts, China maintained their dominance and extended their lead to 18-13. They carried this five-point advantage until the end of the set, ultimately sealing the match 25-19.

As is often the case, Li Yingying shone brightly, securing the highest score of the night with 20 points. Wang Yuanyuan also delivered a standout performance, contributing a noteworthy 18 points and proving to be a key figure in China's triumph. Furthermore, the impact of substitute Wang cannot be overstated. Her timely contributions during critical junctures provided invaluable support, enabling the team to withstand the relentless onslaught from the American side during the deciding set.

After a comfortable victory over South Korea in their opener, China continued their winning streak in the VNL, making it two wins out of two. Defeating a formidable U.S. team that boast Tokyo Olympics MVP Jordan Larson is certainly a cause for celebration, but it holds even greater significance as the VSL serves as a qualification tournament for the 2024 Olympics.

Thursday's victory not only propelled China up the world rankings from seventh to fifth, but also brought them closer to securing a coveted ticket to Paris. China are set to face Canada in their next match, and given their impressive form, it's evident that predicting the outcome would be a mere formality.