Denmark make it five wins in a row, as Kosovo and Lithuania celebrate historic victories

On Friday, Denmark became the very first team in this year’s CEV Volleyball European League to claim five wins in as many matches – as the players coached by Kristian Knudsen close in on a spot among the top four of the competition, which would not only mean progression to the semis but direct qualification for the CEV EuroVolley 2028 as well. All of the other teams with an impeccable record of four wins from the previous rounds are due to return to the court on Saturday, as the race for a top-four spot continues and provides fans across Europe with much thrill and anticipation. 

On Friday, Denmark did what they had to do as they stormed to a 3-0 victory over hosts Albania (25-17, 25-18, 25-21) propelled by Mads Kyed Jensen (18 points) and Oskar Kjerstein Madsen (12). They outclassed their opponents in all areas of the game with seven blocks to three, six aces to two and a 53% success rate in attack (vs. 40% for the home side). Earlier in the competition, Denmark dropped a set against Portugal and claimed a sensational 3-2 win over Czechia – the side that finished fourth at last year’s World Championship in the Philippines. Spain and Sweden have improved their record to four wins – following solid performances in their matchups with Georgia and Montenegro, respectively. 

Kosovo opened their CEV Volleyball European League home campaign with a 0-3 defeat to North Macedonia in Prishtine on Friday evening. North Macedonia started strongly and quickly established control of the match, taking the opening set 25-12. They maintained their momentum in the second set, combining solid defence with efficient attacking play to secure a 25-19 victory and move within one set of the win. Kosovo responded with a much-improved performance in the third set.  Backed by the home crowd, the hosts raised their level and matched North Macedonia point for point in a closely contested battle.  The set remained undecided until the final rallies, but North Macedonia eventually prevailed 27-25 to complete a straight-set victory. Despite the defeat, Kosovo showed determination and fighting spirit in the third set, producing several positive moments that will provide encouragement for the remainder of the competition. Kosovo will return to action on Sunday against Israel in the final match of the European League tournament in Prishtine, looking to finish the weekend on a positive note in front of their home supporters.

Slovakia delivered a commanding performance on Friday evening to defeat hosts Iceland 3-0 (25-10, 25-12, 25-16). The visitors showcased their physical strength throughout the match, combining powerful serving with an imposing block defence to secure their victory. Slovakia made a strong start to the opening set, quickly establishing control after a closely contested opening phase. A series of effective serves and disciplined defensive play disrupted Iceland’s rhythm, thereby allowing the visitors to pull away and comfortably take the set 25-10. The second set followed a similar pattern. Iceland battled hard and showed signs of improvement, but Slovakia continued to apply pressure from the service line and at the net. Gradually extending their lead, the visitors doubled their advantage with a convincing 25-12 set win.
The third set proved to be the most competitive of the evening. Iceland produced its strongest Volleyball of the match and remained within striking distance for longer periods. However, Slovakia’s blocking and attacking efficiency once again made the difference, helping the team close out the set 25-16 and complete the sweep.
Patrik Matejcik led all scorers with 14 points for Slovakia, while Branislav Hanusek added 13. Slovakia finished the match with an impressive 63% attack success rate and recorded 15 blocks. For Iceland, captain Hafsteinn Valdimarsson was the leading scorer with six points, while the home side shared its offensive production across several players.
The victory strengthens Slovakia’s position who now have a record of three wins and two losses, while Iceland will conclude its campaign on Sunday with a home match against Finland in Kópavogur.

A historic night for Kosovo’s and Lithuania’s women 

Elsewhere, the women’s national team of Kosovo delivered a remarkable performance to secure a historic 3-0 victory against Montenegro. Playing with confidence and determination from the opening serve, Kosovo controlled the match throughout, claiming the win in straight sets (25-19, 25-21, 25-15). The Dardanian side started strongly in the first set, establishing an early advantage through solid serving and disciplined defensive play. Kosovo maintained their momentum to take the opening set 25-19. Montenegro offered stronger resistance in the second set, but Kosovo remained composed during crucial moments. Effective attacking play and consistency in reception allowed the home side to edge the set 25-21 and move within one set of victory. The third set saw Kosovo produce their most dominant Volleyball of the evening. With confidence growing and the crowd fully behind them, Kosovo controlled every aspect of the game, building a comfortable lead before closing the match with an impressive 25-15 set win. The result marks one of the most significant victories in the history of Kosovo women’s Volleyball and provides a major boost to the national team’s campaign in the CEV Volleyball European League. Kosovo will now look to build on this momentum for their last match in the competition coming up on Sunday against the still undefeated Hungary. 

After a ten-year hiatus, the newly shaped Lithuanian women’s national team made a dream home debut at the Šiauliai Arena, capturing a historic first-ever victory in the CEV Volleyball European League – League Round by defeating Portugal in a spectacular 3-0 sweep (25-19, 25-20, 25-23). Head coach Mateusz Zarczynski’s squad controlled the opening two sets in front of an ecstatic crowd. In the third set, Portugal mounted a fierce comeback, threatening a repeat of Lithuania’s narrow five-set loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina a week prior in Sweden. However, the young Lithuanian roster showed immense character under pressure, and Rūta Staniulytė sealed the historic triumph with a decisive final kill. Martyna Paukštytė led the Lithuanian offense with an incredible 22 points, followed by team captain Monika Šalkutė and Barbora Rakauskaitė with nine apiece. For the Portuguese team, Julia Kovalenka scored 11 points and was named the best player of her squad. Margarida Maia contributed nine points, the same as Ana Monteiro. Best players of the match were Lithuanian setter Karolina Pravdinskaitė for her stellar playmaking and Kovalenka. With this victory, Lithuania climbs to 17th place with four points in the overall 24-team standings, while Portugal sits in 15th on seven points.

“It is still hard to believe. It feels like I am dreaming. We just really wanted to win. We prepared incredibly hard for this stage. It is not every day we get the opportunity to play for the Lithuanian national team, especially at home. Great desire, fighting spirit, and the home crowd contributed the most to this victory. When you hear the name of Lithuania being called, it gives you goosebumps,” said Lithuania’s top scorer Martyna Paukštytė, holding back no emotions. 

Next up at Šiauliai Arena Saturday will be Romania vs. Portugal. On Sunday, Lithuania will wrap up its debut European League season with a major test against Romania, the highest-ranked among the 24 teams involved in the competition. 

In Skopje, the Croatian national team recorded their third victory in this year’s CEV European League Women after defeating the tournament organisers from North Macedonia in straight sets (25-15, 25-12, 25-15). With their fifth defeat in a row, North Macedonia only confirmed their role as an outsider in this competition. The team of coach Miloš Gavrilović tried to put up some resistance against Croatia, but the difference in quality, especially at the net, was obvious. The Croatian team, led by the enthusiastic Ana Burilović with 20 points, achieved a convincing victory that brings additional optimism ahead of tomorrow’s duel with the main favourite of this tournament, the still undefeated Slovenia, which has an impeccable record of four wins this far with no sets lost at all. 

Finland continued their strong campaign in the CEV European League with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-15) victory over hosts Iceland on Friday in Kópavogur. Playing in front of 160 spectators at Digranes, Finland secured their fourth win of the competition with a composed performance, overcoming a determined Icelandic side that started each set competitively before the visitors gradually took control.
The opening set was closely contested during the early stages, with Iceland matching Finland point for point. Finland eventually created separation through effective attacking and solid side-out play, moving ahead in the second half of the set before closing it 25-18.
A similar pattern followed in the second set. Iceland stayed within reach in the opening exchanges, but Finland’s consistency from the service line and efficiency in attack allowed them to build a comfortable lead. The visitors maintained their momentum and doubled their advantage with a 25-14 set win.
Finland remained in command in the third set, using strong offensive production and disciplined defence to limit Iceland’s opportunities. The Finnish team steadily extended its lead before sealing the match with a 25-15 victory.
Ella Peltomaa led Finland’s scoring with 11 points, while Ada Aronen added 10. Finland finished the match with a 54% attack success rate and collected 10 blocks. For Iceland, Lejla Sara Hadziredzepovic was the top scorer with eight points, while Sara Ósk Stefánsdóttir contributed six.
The result keeps Finland firmly in contention near the top of the European League standings, while Iceland will look to finish its campaign on a positive note when it faces Spain in its final match of the competition on Sunday.