France open the tournament with victory in Göteborg
CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 | Women
Pool D: France vs Slovakia 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-13)
France recorded a convincing 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-13) victory over Slovakia in the opening match of Pool D at the CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women in Göteborg. Coach César Hernández’s side executed their game plan effectively to overcome the underdog Slovakia after just 75 minutes of play.
The French team was missing their captain and star player, Héléna Cazaute, but you couldn't tell from their performance in the opening set, which ended 25-13. A major contributor was Cyrielle Depié, who finished the set as France's top scorer with eight points. The margin could have been even wider if not for Slovakia's libero, Ema Magdinová, who pulled off an impressive pancake save midway through the first set.
Midway through the second set, Slovakia made a series of substitutions that shifted the momentum of the game. However, it was not enough to stop France from taking the set 25-21.
The third set played out much like the first, with France again prevailing 25-13.
César Hernández“We knew we had to be good in block and defense. We were successful there, getting a lot of good touches on the ball.”
Head Coach of France
Cyrielle Depié“We are good at handling pressure, and that is why we won this match.”
French opposite player
Karolína Fričová“The biggest problem was that we couldn’t finish on transition balls. It was tough because they pushed us from the start, and in every set, they created a huge gap between us.”
Slovak captain
To be continued...