The Slovenia National Team continued pushing the boundaries of the country’s volleyball by advancing to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
Slovenia has achieved another great success. In the quarter-finals of the World Championship 2022, the co-hosts defeated the Ukrainians 3-1 (18-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-23) in a full-packed hall in Ljubljana and qualified for the semi-finals of the biggest of all big competitions for the first time in history. Both the Slovenians and the Ukrainians registered the best results at the World Champs even before the evening showdown, which took place in the once again exceptional atmosphere of the Arena Stožice. Both are participating in the World Cup for only the second time, and both have earned a place in the quarter-finals for the first time.
In front of 11,000 home supporters in the nation’s capital, the national team of Slovenia overcame a rocky beginning to turn things around and overcome the sensation of the tournament, Ukraine. The noisy environment created by the crowded stands, interestingly, made it tough for the home team to get going, but once tensions subsided, the favorites grabbed control of the match, which the Ukrainians ended with 33 unforced errors (compared to Slovenia’s 21).
Klemen Čebulj was crucial to Slovenia’s triumph. With 23 points, the 30-year-old outside hitter led the team’s offense. Oleh Plotnytskyi, a captain and outside hitter for Ukraine, finished the game with 30 points (4 blocks, 5 aces).
2022 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship – quarter-finals:
Italy – France 3-2 (24-26, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 15-12)
Slovenia – Ukraine 3-1 (18-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-23)
Thursday, September 8:
Argentina – Brazil
Poland – USA
