04/07/2015 19:41
Poland claim first win in Pool A
2015 CEV Volleyball European League - Men
Slagelse, Denmark, July 4, 2015. Poland were the overwhelming favourites going into their European League season opener against Denmark. However, the Danish home heroes managed to push the Polish side in the first two sets, before Poland with their strong service and solid reception pocketed a well-deserved 3:0 win (25-22, 25-21, 25-14).
The game plan of the Danish team clearly was to serve taking a lot of risks in order to put maximum pressure on Poland, but it cost seven service errors in the first set only. In spite of this ‘handicap’, the Danes managed to keep Poland in a short leash (16:18). Many of the Polish players still had the European Games in Baku – where they had finished the tournament in fourth place losing the bronze medal match to Russia – fresh in their hands and closed the set 25-22.
It was the hottest day of the year in Denmark with temperatures above 32 degrees. Still, plenty of Polish residents in Denmark had found their way to Antvorskovhallen in Slagelse to support their heroes. Poland seemed to copy the Danish tactic with strong service, but with a higher efficiency in the second set. The strong Polish service was returned with some solid Danish receptions and the score was all even at 10:10. Denmark had an 18:15 lead after the second technical time-out, but Poland clawed back and flipped the charts around to make it 25-21 in the end.
Poland chock started the third set and won the four first points in no time. Denmark showed strong morale and decreased the gap to Poland down to 5:8. With 32 degrees outside the hall Poland’s Jan Nowakowski could easily get a secondary job on the beach as shadow maker. Time after time the Danes found their spikes blocked by the 194 cm tall Nowakowski. Denmark never really came close after the shocking start, trailing 11:16 at the second technical timeout, and Poland closed the third set at 25-14 with an ace and this way also the match.
“I actually stand with an ok feeling. We managed to bring the match where we wished. If we just had been better in our service reception, we would have had a much better chance to put more pressure on Poland at the net. The guys performed amazing for most of the match, and we actually blocked as many times as Poland did, as that is good. I want to thank the many spectators who came and created a great setting for the match,” says Mikael Trolle, coach of Denmark.
“I am happy with the win, but we did not play a good match. This is the first match after the European Games in Baku, and we need to find our level again – I am not satisfied with the level of our performance today. As we host the Final Four, the most important thing for us in the Pool stage is to give the young guys some experience and we managed to achieve that goal today,” says Andrzej Kowal, coach of Poland.
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