USA send Poland packing

Poland, making their first appearance in the Games since 1968, fought tenaciously throughout the tense match but lost 18-25 25-21 19-25 25-19 15-13.

"I'm really, really sad," said Poland's Katarzyna Skowronska, the top scorer of the tournament. "We knew that we needed to win it, but we lost."

Poland's Group A loss means that China and Japan, who play later on Sunday, will both move on to the last eight, along with Cuba and the U.S.

The Americans recovered each time after losing the first and third sets, taking the final frame in a dramatic battle that was tied eight times.

"We are not playing very consistently, so we need to have a good game in the quarter-finals, we still need to improve," said U.S. coach "Jenny" Ping Lang.

Cuba, who won Olympic gold medals in 1992, 1996 and 2000 and took bronze in Athens, showed earlier on Sunday why they are likely challenge gold medal favourites Brazil, sailing past Venezuela in straight sets for their fifth straight triumph.