Portugal-Denmark
Portugal’s wing-spiker Maria Joao Tavares top scored for the winning side with 11 points while Trine Noer Kjelstrup did register 19 for Denmark in their losing effort.
In the third set the head coach of Portugal Gilda Harris got a yellow card after she called for a substitution but her player did not show the right number on the panel. In the early phases of the fourth set, Danish libero Clara Christensen Vieira suffered an ankle injury and Alina Hjorth Sode was eventually re-designated as Denmark’s libero. Portugal dictated the pace of the game for most of the time excelling in blocking and serving, registering 13 aces and 9 block kills in the end, vs. 9 and 11 respectively for Denmark.
“We don’t have any excuse because our team didn’t play good enough today. I’m not satisfied because we made too many mistakes and we made it easy for Portugal to score. Our next game will be very difficult because we play the hosts of Serbia. I am disappointed because we wanted to edge Portugal but with so many mistakes you just can’t stand a chance” Denmark’s head coach Skafte Herskind said.
“They served well and we couldn’t pass the ball and our spikers couldn’t attack. I’m sad but we couldn’t do anything better. It’s our fault” Denmark’s team captain Emma Brix added.
Gilda Harris, head coach of Portugal, was very happy after the match: “We are happy because our team won this game. Eighty percent of my players are still eligible to compete in the youth division and it was a very good game. They fought till the end and for sure got a valuable experience”.
The opposite player of Portugal, Mariana Maia, said: “We are satisfied and for sure we will play even better tomorrow because we have nothing to lose. This competition is a great experience for us”.
To read more news from this competition click on 2013 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U20 World Championship – European Qualification.
