JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel and PIACENZA secured victories in their Pools

Pool D: JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel (POL) vs Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE (CZE) 

The match took place between the teams holding the first and last positions in the Pool. Initially, JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel had 3 wins and 0 losses, while Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE was in the opposite situation. Recognizing the importance and complexity of the game, the team from the Czech Republic immediately started with an impressive lead of 3:0. However, the home team quickly regrouped, neutralizing the opponents' advantage and leveling the score. Nonetheless, the Poles spent most of the time catching up and defending. Towards the end, Balabanov scored an ace, almost at the most critical moment, pushing his team past the 20-point mark. The Czech team calmly concluded this set, winning it. Cuban attacker Alejandro Miguel GONZÁLEZ RODRÍGUEZ particularly assisted the team by scoring 8 points.

In the second set, the Poles took control from the beginning, leading 6:2. This time, they felt more comfortable, attacked more, and continued to perform excellently in blocks. By the end of the set, JASTRZEBSKI approached it with a score of 20:12, essentially guaranteeing their victory in it. Jean Party with his 5 points was the top scorer in this set for his team!

The third set was fiercely contested with no clear leader. Midway through the game, JASTRZEBSKI began to pull away in the score, compelling Andrzej KOWAL to take a timeout at 16:11. The Poles broke through Jihostroj's defense, and despite the Czechs' rotations and numerous substitutions, they succumbed 25:17. French Olympic champion Jean Patry again became the most productive scorer, contributing 6 points to the team.

The fourth set was conclusive and lacked suspense. The Poles felt confident and played assertively, quickly taking the lead, and by the middle of the set, they already had 2 aces. The finale was nerve-racking for the guests; they made mistakes in defense and on serve. The head coach attempted to rectify the situation with substitutions on serve, but the plan did not work. JASTRZEBSKI claimed victory again with a score of 25:17, winning 3:1 in sets. The standings in the group remained the same for these teams.

The match's MVP is Jean Patry.

Final score: 3-1 (21:25, 25:17, 25:17, 25:17)

Pool C: Gas Sales Bluenergy PIACENZA (ITA) vs Sport LISBOA e Benfica (POR)

At the start of the match, PIACENZA had 2 wins and 1 loss, holding the second position in the group, while Benfica was at the bottom. The beginning of this match resembled the encounter from Pool D, where the underdog, Benfica, immediately showed in the first set that they were not willing to surrender without a fight. Piacenza was more of a chasing team in this set; however, towards the end, Recine attempted to disrupt Benfica's reception with a crafty serve. When the score reached 27:27, a Benfica player needed a bandage due to a leg injury, giving both teams time to catch their breath, and the Portuguese prepared for the serve. As a result, this set extended to 30 points, which was the count needed for Piacenza to finish this incredible stretch!

Naturally, after such a tense start, both teams slightly calmed down in the second set. The Italians, as the home team, took control quickly and surged ahead in the score. Their advantage in this set was evident, unlike the previous one. This set concluded with a score of 25:21 in favor of the Italian team.

The third set brought intrigue again; both teams' even play led to a tense finish and the last chance for Benfica to win a set. The teams once again needed more than 25 points to determine the winner, and Lucarelli scored the set and match point. The final score was 28:26, resulting in a 3-0 win in sets.

The match's MVP was Fabrizio GIRONI with 17 points.

Final score: 3-0 (30:28, 25:21, 28:26)

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