In the Round of 16 matches at EuroVolley 2023 in Varna and Bari, both Ukraine and the Netherlands secured places in the quarterfinals.
In today’s concluding Round of 16 matches, Ukraine overcame their previous group stage struggles to deliver an impressive win against Portugal, propelling them into the quarter-finals against Slovenia. Meanwhile, after a dramatic five-set duel, the Netherlands triumphed over Germany, setting up a quarter-final showdown with Italy.
Highlights from Varna:
Ukraine’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. Powered by outside hitters Illia Kovalov and captain Oleh Plotnytskyi, the team managed a decisive three-set victory against Portugal. The scores read 25-20, 25-19, and 25-22. Plotnytskyi shone brightest with 15 points, while Kovalov pitched in with 11. Despite Portugal’s Alexandre Fereira’s commendable 16-point performance and Lourenco Martins adding 12, they couldn’t stem the Ukrainian onslaught.
The upcoming Monday in Varna promises more EuroVolley excitement with the quarterfinal face-offs between Slovenia vs. Ukraine and France vs. Romania.
Action from Bari:
Following Italy’s stellar triumph over North Macedonia, the Netherlands locked horns with Germany in a nail-biting encounter. The Dutch pulled off a 3-2 victory (25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 15-12), greatly credited to Nimir Abdel-Aziz’s outstanding performance, racking up 18 points. Despite György Grozer’s remarkable 22 points making him the top scorer of the match, Germany’s spirited comeback from a 0-2 deficit was ultimately halted by an indomitable Abdel-Aziz in the decisive 5th set. This sets the stage for a thrilling quarterfinal on Tuesday, 12th September, as Italy prepares to face off against the Netherlands.
The excitement in Bari isn’t over just yet, as the Round of 16 is set to conclude with two more riveting matches. Poland is gearing up to take on Belgium, while Serbia is poised to square off against Czechia.
Round of 16 in Bari, Italy,
September 9, 2023
Italy vs. North Macedonia 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-15)
Netherlands vs. Germany 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 15-12)
September 10, 2023
Poland vs. Belgium
Serbia vs. Czech Republic
Round of 16 in Varna,
September 8, 2023
Croatia vs. Romania 2-3 (17-25, 20-25, 25-17, 28-26, 12-15)
France vs. Bulgaria 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-15)
September 9, 2023
Slovenia vs. Turkiye 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-13)
Portugal vs. Ukraine 0-3 (20-25, 19-25, 22-25)
