15/09/2019 23:04
Belgium, France, Italy, Slovenia keep winning to reach EuroVolley’s last 16
CEV EuroVolley 2019 Men
Luxembourg, September 15, 2019. Four more teams - Belgium, France, Italy and Slovenia – reserved their spots among the eighthfinalists of CEV EuroVolley 2019 Men on Sunday to join Bulgaria and Russia into the last 16 of the elite continental competition. They all registered their third victories to stay unbeaten in the tournament and can no longer fall below the cut-off line in their respective pools. Belarus achieved their first win of the tournament in a spectacular fashion, after denying five match points for Finland in the third set of their encounter in Ljubljana.
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Italian triple block on Rares Ionut Balean of Romania
Pool A
• Italy snatched their third consecutive victory in Pool A and booked their ticket to the next round. They stumbled in set three of their encounter with Romania, but were quite emphatic in the other three to leave the team from the Balkans winless.
• Italy’s Ivan Zaytsev was the man of the match hammering out as many as 27 points towards the win, including four aces and three blocks. Robert Adrian Aciobanitei was Romania’s highest scorer with 10 points.
• In a packed Sud de France Arena, France crushed Portugal in straight sets, their third shutout in a row. The home side top the current pool standings and have secured a spot in the eighthfinals. Portugal have yet to find the way to their first win.
• Stephen Boyer’s 17 points for France, including three aces, made him the best scorer of the match.
Match Centres:
ROU vs ITA 1-3 (15-25, 14-25, 25-23, 14-25)
POR vs FRA 0-3 (11-25, 20-25, 23-25)
Belgian captain Sam Deroo attacks
Pool B
• Antwerp action in Pool B opened with a relatively uneventful game, in which hosts Belgium cruised to an emphatic straight-setter against Spain to extend their unbeaten run to three matches and reserve their berth among the last 16 of EuroVolley 2019. Spain recorded their second loss in the pool.
• Belgium’s Sam Deroo once again proved that he is a captain the team can always rely on to lead by example. In three short sets he piled up as many as 21 points, including four stuff blocks and one ace. Victor Rodríguez Pérez was Spain’s only scorer to reach double digits – 10 points.
• Serbia did not allow any surprises in their second match at EuroVolley 2019. The southern European squad delivered a strong performance on the way to a 3-0 win over Slovakia to hand the opponent their first defeat in three matches played.
• Serbia’s Uros Kovacevic was the game’s top scorer on 17 points, including four stuff blocks. His teammate, middle blocker Petar Krsmanovic, impressed with four aces and four blocks for a total of 11 points. Matej Patak scored 12 times for Slovakia.
Match Centres:
ESP vs BEL 0-3 (17-25, 21-25, 14-25)
SRB vs SVK 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-21)
Belarus’s captain Siarhei Busel rejoices victorious
Pool C
• Finland wasted five match points in set three to allow Belarus to mount a furious comeback and win the match in five sets. This was the first win for Belarus out of the three matches they played so far in Pool C, bringing Finland down to a 1-2 win-loss record as well.
• Artur Udrys, who came in as a sub in the first two sets, but appeared on the starting line-up for the next three, was the best scorer of the match, contributing 21 points to Belarus's victory. Urpo Sivula scored 20 points for Finland.
• On Dejan Vincic’s 33rd birthday, Slovenia mastered their third consecutive win in Ljubljana to secure a spot in the eighthfinals of EuroVolley 2019. In a three-set game, the home side claimed victory over Turkey to top the current pool standings. The Turks dropped to 1-2 and the race for the pool’s two remaining tickets to the next round promises to be fierce.
• Tine Urnaut top-scored 16 points towards the victory. Baturalp Burak Güngör managed 13 points for Turkey.
Match Centres:
BLR vs FIN 3-2 (13-25, 17-25, 30-28, 25-22, 15-13)
TUR vs SLO 0-3 (28-30, 16-25, 23-25)
Amazing atmosphere in Rotterdam during the Netherlands vs. Poland match
Pool D
• 11,000 Dutch and Polish fans created a fiesta atmosphere at the sold out Ahoy Centre in Rotterdam. The home team of the Netherlands pushed as hard as they could, but Poland were just too strong and won in straight sets, their second out of two matches in Pool D. The Dutch team now stands at a 2-1 win-loss record.
• Nimir Abdel-Aziz was the best scorer of the match putting away 19 balls for the Dutch. Wilfredo Leon, with 12 points, including three stuffs, was most prolific for the winners.
• In the very important match between Czech Republic and Estonia on Sunday night, the Czechs managed to take a 3-0 victory. After losing their opening match against Ukraine, this is their first victory of the tournament. Estonia, once again supported by thousands of loyal fans, recorded their third loss in Rotterdam.
• In the thrilling second and third sets, it was Jan Hadrava who made the difference with four out of a total of six aces. He became the top scorer of the match with 23 points. Robert Täht, with 17, was once again Estonia’s leading point-maker.
Match Centres:
NED vs POL 0-3 (19-25, 18-25, 19-25)
CZE vs EST 3-0 (25-18, 34-32, 28-26)
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