Athens Olympics silver winner Italy swept Venezuela 3-0 on Thursday at the men's volleyball preliminaries of the Beijing Games.

The Italians, runners-up to Brazil at the 2003 World Cup and the 2004 Athens Games, brushed aside Venezuela 25-21, 25-20 and 25-21 to improve to a 2-1 win-loss record in pool A.

Captain Alberto Cisolla had 12 smashes in 19 tries to finish with game-high 13 points for Italy with Vigor Bovolenta and Matteo Martino adding 10 apiece.

"We played very well throughout the game. We were very concentrated, especially in our services," said Cisolla. "We put a lot of pressure on our opponents. Our good performance guaranteed our success today."

The South Americans, who are making their first appearance at the Olympic Games, have lost three matches in a row in the round robin stage with two more matches to play against Japan and Bulgaria.

"We want to defeat Japan more than Bulgaria. We will prepare as best as we can and put all our effort into winning the match with Japan," said Luis Diaz, who scored nine points for Venezuela. "It will be more difficult to defeat Bulgaria."

At the post-match press conference, Venezuela head coach Ricardo Navajas revealed he would step down after the Olympic tournament.

"I will leave the team, regardless of the outcome of the Olympic Games," Navajas said. "I have been dealing with a very complicated administration (in Venezuela)."

"Coaching this team has been a good experience, and coaching at the Olympics as well. I don't have a problem with Venezuela," he added. "The problem is, well, you know what the problem is. I don't want to continue."

Later on Thursday, in a pool B clash, Germany rolled past a fighting Egypt 29-27, 25-21 and 25-21 for its first victory at the Beijing Games while dropping the Africans to 0-3.

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2008)