SK ANKARA too strong for Neftohimik in Burgas

The Turkish side SK ANKARA appeared too strong for hosts Neftohimik BURGAS in the first leg of the 16th Finals of the men’s CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup 2025 played on Tuesday night in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas.

The visiting team won 3-0 (25-20, 26-24, 25-18) after a match that lasted for approximately an hour and a half in Arena Burgas in front of around 1,800 spectators.

The Australian opposite of SK ANKARA Thomas Edgar was the game’s top scorer with 14 points, followed by his US teammate – the outside hitter Garreth Thomas Muagututia, an Olympic bronze medallist from Paris 2024, and the captain of the hosts, Axel Truhtchev – who registered 13 apiece. 

The second set of the game was the most intriguing one – the score was level at 24-24, before SK ANKARA fought their way to winning it by 26-24.

The reverse leg is to be played next week in the Turkish capital, namely on November 21, and SK ANKARA needs two sets won to go through this stage of the competition.