The second week of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2024 is in full swing with matches taking place in Fukuoka, Japan, and Ottawa, Canada. The Polish team celebrated their fifth victory, decisively defeating Turkey 3-0. In a thrilling match, Italy experienced their first loss, falling to France 2-3. Slovenia remains the only unbeaten team in the tournament.
Brazil secured another win, overcoming Iran 3-1. Germany triumphed over Bulgaria with a 3-1 victory.
Sixteen teams are competing in the VNL. Each team will participate in three tournaments, playing four matches in each. The top seven teams after the preliminary round, along with host Poland, will advance to the finals in Łódź from June 27-30.
Poland’s victory against Turkey in Fukuoka marked their fifth win. Coach Nikola Grbić’s team dominated the match with notable performances from Bartosz Bednorz, who scored 19 points, and Łukasz Kaczmarek, who added 11. Turkey, debuting in the VNL, has only secured one point so far.
Match Results:
- Poland vs. Turkey: 3-0 (25-19, 25-12, 25-19)
- France vs. Italy: 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 19-25, 15-10)
- Brazil vs. Iran: 3-1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-16, 25-23)
- Bulgaria vs. Germany: 1-3 (24-26, 25-22, 16-25, 16-25)
- Cuba vs. Netherlands: 1-3 (24-26, 25-21, 20-25, 22-25)
As the competition progresses, teams are vying for a spot in the Olympic tournament. Currently, seven teams have secured their places alongside host France: Germany, Brazil, the USA, Japan, Poland, and Canada. The remaining spots will be filled based on FIVB rankings, prioritizing teams from continents not yet represented.
