Lausanne, Switzerland, July 8, 2017 - Bulgaria host Korea Saturday in Ruse, in what is the very first meeting between the two sides in the history of the FIVB World Grand Prix. The two sides have met before, though, with Bulgaria dominatind their latest encounter at the 2002 FIVB World Championship. Korea last beat Bulgaria at the 1986 FIVB World Champioship.
Head-to-Head• Bulgaria and Korea will meet for the first time at the World Grand Prix.
• The last time these teams met at a major tournament was at the 2002 World Championship. Bulgaria won by 3-1 in the second group stage.
• Korea last beat Bulgaria at a major tournament at the 1986 World Championship, 3-0 in the first group stage.
Bulgaria• Bulgaria opened their 2017 World Grand Prix season with a 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan on Friday.
• Bulgaria will hope for a repeat of how they started last season, not of how they ended. In 2016, they won their first three and finished with two straight defeats.
• The victory against Kazakhstan was their first in straight sets in the World Grand Prix since 3-0 against Kenya on 4 June 2016. Bulgaria had conceded at least one set in each of their next six.
Korea• Korea opened their 2017 World Grand Prix campaign with a 3-1 victory against Germany on Friday.
• Korea did not manage back-to-back World Grand Prix victories since August 2014.
• All of Korea's last six victories in the World Grand Prix have resulted in 3-1.
• Korea have conceded at least one set in each of their last 22 World Grand Prix matches.