Germany stay perfect, Romania bounce back with first Pool D victory

Germany continued their perfect start to CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men in Cluj-Napoca on Friday, overcoming a determined Latvia in straight sets to make it two wins from two in Pool D. The result was less comfortable than the 3-0 scoreline suggested, with Latvia staying close through much of the opening two sets before Germany pulled away in the decisive moments. Later at BT Arena, hosts Romania responded to their opening defeat with an important 3-1 victory over Switzerland. Sergiu Stancu’s side took a two-set lead before the Swiss stormed back in the third, but Romania regrouped with the support of the home crowd to close the fourth set and collect their first three points of the tournament.

Germany vs. Latvia 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-16)

Germany continued their perfect start to CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men in Cluj-Napoca, defeating Latvia 3-0 to collect their second victory in as many matches in Pool D.

The final score, however, did not entirely reflect the resistance Latvia offered, particularly during the opening two sets.

Fresh from their 3-1 victory over hosts Romania, Uģis Krastiņš's side stayed close to Germany deep into both sets. Latvia worked hard in defence and repeatedly extended rallies, but Germany found another gear when the score reached its decisive stages.

That difference in the closing points ultimately shaped the match.

“In the first two sets it was always tight, up to around 15-all, and then in the crunch time we managed to get some points ahead,” Germany's Erik Röhrs said. “When the match came to the important moments, we showed that we were stronger.”

Röhrs also credited Latvia for refusing to allow Germany an easy evening.

“They fought a lot, especially in defence. They had a lot of good touches and also some good kill blocks. You cannot underestimate any opponent. Congratulations to Latvia because they made life really difficult for us today.”

After seeing competitive sets slip away twice, Latvia struggled to maintain the same pressure in the third. Germany took control earlier this time and closed the match 25-16 to complete the straight-sets victory.

For Latvian setter Edvīns Skrūders, the difference was not necessarily in Latvia's overall level, but in the small errors that Germany were quick to punish.

“We played really well until a certain point in the first two sets,” Skrūders said. “It was quite a close game, but we made a few mistakes that at this level you cannot make. If you make those mistakes, these teams punish you for them.”

“I am pretty happy with the level we showed in the first two sets. It was just a few mistakes here and there, and that's it.”

Germany therefore move on from their opening victory over Türkiye with a second win and another three points, while Latvia leave the court with a clear reminder of just how small the margins can become against Europe's strongest teams.

Switzerland vs Romania 1-3 (21-25, 23-25, 25-13, 20-25)

Romania responded to the disappointment of their opening defeat in Cluj-Napoca with a 3-1 victory over Switzerland, earning their first win of CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men and an important three points in Pool D.

With both sides entering the evening still searching for their first victory, there was little room for comfort. Romania responded best to that pressure, taking control of the opening set and then holding their nerve in a much tighter second to establish a 2-0 advantage in front of 3,127 spectators at BT Arena.

Switzerland, however, were not ready to let the match disappear.

Juan Manuel Serramalera's side produced their strongest spell of the evening in the third set. With Romania suddenly struggling to reproduce the level of the opening two sets, the Swiss took full advantage, dominating 25-13 and forcing the hosts into a fourth.

For Romania head coach Sergiu Stancu, what happened next was one of the most encouraging aspects of the night.

“After we played the first two sets well, we had a kind of blackout in the third,” Stancu said. “It was very important that we managed to come back into the game.”

Backed by a vocal home crowd, Romania recovered their composure. The fourth remained competitive, but this time the hosts did not allow Switzerland to take the initiative, closing it 25-20 to seal a much-needed first victory.

Stancu was particularly keen to share the credit with the supporters.

“I want to thank these amazing supporters because you could really feel that they helped us in that difficult moment,” he said. “A big part of this victory is thanks to them.”

The response was particularly significant after Romania's 3-1 opening defeat to Latvia.

“We were not so happy with what happened in that game,” Stancu admitted. “Now we are happy again because we managed to produce a good performance.”

For Switzerland, the opening stages proved costly. Cyril Kolb pointed particularly to Romania's service pressure and his team's inability to respond with the same consistency.

“I think in the first set we started very slowly,” Kolb said. “They served really well, with a lot of pressure and few mistakes, while we couldn't keep pushing with our serve and put them in trouble.”

Switzerland remain without a win after two matches, but Kolb was already looking ahead rather than treating the defeat as the end of their campaign.

“We still have a chance against Latvia, and maybe we can also win against a stronger opponent like Türkiye or Germany.”

For Romania, meanwhile, the first victory brings both points and renewed confidence. More importantly, after allowing the third set to slip away, the hosts showed they could find their way back, with a little help from the thousands around them.