Prague, Czech Republic, September 12, 2011. Slovakia continued its splendid campaign by claiming a third consecutive win in “iron” Pool D, this time by seeing off the 2009 European champions from Poland. With this result Slovakia – winner of the 2011 European League – finishes the prelims on top of the standings and thus advances directly to the quarterfinals scheduled for Thursday in Karlovy Vary.
Slovakia fought bravely in the first set but their opponents enjoyed a great final rush to move up 1:0 mainly via their good defense. Slovakia stormed back from 4:10 to 14 all in set 2 and via the grip resulting from this comeback eventually clipped this section of the game.
Poland appeared shocked and with their confidence being gone, the defending champions were downed 1:3 and by finishing third in the group will have to play the Czech Republic in the Playoffs on Wednesday.
“I want to congratulate Slovakia for this win” said Poland’s head coach Andrea Anastasi. “It was a very tough match for us after losing to Bulgaria yesterday”.
“I am more than satisfied as we have finished the group in first place” said his colleague Emanuele Zanini. “Everyone thought we were not going to have some good chances in this group and that we were the outsiders, now we are on top of the standings. Today I even had the possibility to use some of the players that I do not use that regularly” he concluded.