Pre-favourites Italy and Türkiye continue racking up wins in Riga

Türkiye and Italy continue to live up to everyone’s expectations as favourites in Riga, where the decisive matches for a spot in the #EuroVolleyU18W semi-finals are fast approaching.

After a rest day, the Belgian players recorded their long-awaited first victory of the tournament, defeating Czechia 3-1 (25-10, 25-15, 19-25, 25-15) and overtaking their opponents in the standings. Five members of the ‘Young Yellow Tigers’ scored at least nine points, while Ana Van den Spiegel stood out with seven blocks, as Ella Joosen was the overall top scorer with 16 points. The Belgians will look to add to their win tally in their remaining matches against Iceland, Poland, and Latvia.

Meanwhile, the Spanish team secured already their third victory of the tournament, sealing a 3-0 win (25-7, 25-8, 25-21) over Iceland thanks to dominant opening sets, while pool leaders Italy and Türkiye notched their fourth wins. In the previous round, Italy lost their first set of the tournament but responded with a convincing 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-12) victory over a strong Poland side, significantly complicating Poland’s chances of reaching the semi-finals.

Italy head coach Stefano Gregoris: “I am very happy with this victory and the performance we showed on the court. Poland is hard and always tough, and today was no exception. I believe we played our best game of the tournament so far. We prepared very well and played good Volleyball. It was not just about the game, we also made many correct tactical decisions, which is pleasing. We are trying to raise our level of play as the tournament progresses in order to win the pool. We realise that Türkiye is the strongest opponent here in Riga, so it is good that we play them at the very end. We can spend the entire tournament preparing specifically for that clash. Overall, there have not been any major surprises. We have a good team, and Spain is having a good tournament, but every match here is difficult and requires serious preparation. Right now, our focus is on the game against the Latvian team. We will be facing a team of warriors. I know the Latvian people and consider them fighters. I expect nothing less on the court this Monday.”

Latvia put up a truly spirited fight in the first set against Türkiye, another of the tournament top favourites, but after that thrilling opener, they lacked the energy and emotional drive to sustain the momentum, ultimately losing 0-3 (19-25, 9-25, 10-25). “We were up against a very strong team; the Turkish squad includes players with significant experience at the senior level. It is an excellent experience to play against opponents of that calibre. It was a major challenge for us, given the accumulated fatigue and the fact that several key players are dealing with injuries, so we are pleased with how we played in that first set,” said Adriana Bukovska, who scored 11 points.

An equally tough test awaits the Latvian team on Monday, when they face Italy. The Spanish players will aim to demonstrate their semi-final aspirations against Türkiye. Other matches include Czechia vs. Poland and Belgium vs. Iceland.