Barcelona Olympics champion Brazil scored an easy 3-0 victory over Asian champions China in the World Cup men's volleyball tournament in Kagoshima, Japan, on Friday.

China once led the first set 14-13 but Brazil disrupted their attempts to go further after Nalbert Bitencourt made consecutive powerful serves that the Chinese did not receive well.

After taking the first set 25-19, Brazil kept the momentum going in the next two sets, which the South Americans won 25-18 and 25-15.

In another match here, European runner-up Russia defeated three- time world champions Italy 25-21, 29-27, 23-25 and 25-18.

Italian coach Andrea Anastasi said: "The Russians played well, especially in attacking. I have to congratulate them."

Also on Friday, the United States, who beat Brazil in five sets on Thursday, had to come from one set behind to defeat Tunisia 23- 25, 25-21, 25-15 and 25-23.

In Tokyo, Cuba crushed Argentina 25-20, 25-20, 25-22, Spain beat Canada 25-18, 25-16, 26-24 while South Korea defeated Japan 25-19, 25-16, 22-25 and 25-20.