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France are the 2024 CEV U18 Volleyball European Champions! Les Blues outplayed their rivals of Italy at the Big Finale in three sets, and got a sweet revenge for the loss in the Final two years ago precisely to the Italians. This is the first title for the French Men U18 national team after 2009.
In the Bronze Medal Match, Spain and Poland delivered an outstanding battle in five sets. However, it was the Polish team that was more successful, bringing home the bronze medals from this year’s edition of the competition.
France started better in the first set, taking an early lead at 7-3. The French continued controlling the game, and opened in their favour, leaving no doubts who was better on the court in this set after 25-15.
The players guided by head coach Jean-Manuel Leprovost stormed in the beginning of the second set as well, leading at 5-0. Squadra Azzurra got back on track at 11-11, and the two teams started chasing each other in the score (18-17). However, France proved to be the better team and emerged victorious after making a point-difference for 25-20.
The Italians were off to a better start in the third set (3-0), but the young Les Blues quickly reacted for 7-7, taking the lead at 10-9. Despite the Italians attempts to come back in the match, the French did not leave any room for surprises and claimed the title after 25-21.
Overall, the French team outclassed their opponents on all Volleyball counts - 39 to 32 winning spikes, eight to six kill blocks, two to one aces.
Noa Duflos-Rossi finished as top scorer with 16pts. to his name (46% exc. in attack).
For Italy, Manuel Zlatanov recorded the most - 13pts. (48% exc. in attack).
It was a close call right after the first referee whistle (5-6), but with the set unfolding, the Poles started leading (12-9, 19-16), opening in their favour at 25-21.
The same scenario unfolded in the beginning of the next set (9-8), but this time around, the Polish team was able to score a bigger point difference earlier (20-14), and got closer to the medals at 25-20.
Everything was looking out fine for Poland in the third set as the players around head coach Jacek Nawrocki were leading comfortably (7-4, 14-7). However, the Spanish team rose like a phoenix, equalising at 16-16. None of the teams was ready to give in just yet in this part, as they started following each other in the score (19-19). Entertaining the fans in Levski Sofia Sports Hall, the two teams batted it out hard, and Spain were able to bring back the intrigue in the match after 30-28.
Inspired, the Spanish boys entered the courts with heads held high in the fourth set. On the other side of the net, the Polish squad was also giving their best (13-12). In another cat-and-mouse game, Spain once again demonstrated nerves of steel, winning at 28-26.
In the deciding set, Oskar Trawka made the difference for the Polish (8-6), and despite the Spanish attempts to turn the tables, the Polish grabbed the bronze.
Poland finished with four more kill blocks in the game (22 to 18), and with more direct points from the serving line (three to one). The Spanish finished with more points from attack, 71-68, but also let more own errors affect the score: 26 to 19.
Cesar Iracho of Spain finished as a top scorer with 34 points (46% exc. in exc.), while for the winners, Trawka recorded 31 (50% exc. in attack).