World Ranking leaders Poland and the Netherlands opened their 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship campaigns with victories in Pool B action at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Poland overcame a tense first set before sweeping Romania 3-0 (34-32, 25-15, 25-19). Captain Bartosz Kurek, returning after missing the VNL, scored 13 points, while Wilfredo León led with 14 and Tomasz Fornal added 10. Romania’s Adrian Aciobăniței fought hard with 11 points, supported by Mircea Peța with 9.
Earlier in the day, the Netherlands outlasted Qatar 3-1 (25-18, 25-23, 26-28, 25-23). Opposite Michiel Ahyi topped all scorers with 20 points, while Tom Koops (17), Bennie Tuinstra (15), and middle blocker Fabian Plak (13) played important roles. Qatar’s Youssef Oughlaf posted 17 points, with Renan Ribeiro and Nikola Vasic contributing 11 apiece.
With both Poland and the Netherlands collecting three points, the Poles lead Pool B on set ratio. Only the top two teams will advance to the elimination rounds, making every match crucial in the race for the knockout stage.
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