Türkiye celebrates historic run as Poland pushes past Canada at the Men's World Championship

The Round of 16 at the Men’s World Championship in the Philippines opened on Saturday with drama and determination in Pasay City. In the first match of the day, Türkiye came from behind to beat the Netherlands 3-1 and reached the quarterfinals for the first time in their history. Poland beat Canada 3-1 later that afternoon, picking up one setback and continuing their run through the tournament.

The Dutch took the first set after a tight finish, 29-27, and for a moment it looked like Türkiye might be heading for disappointment.

The match began to change late in the second set. With the score at 22-22, Türkiye stayed steady and levelled the contest. From then on, their confidence grew. The third set went fully in their favour — stronger in attack, calmer in defence, and more composed — and they won it by 25-16.

By the fourth, Türkiye had all the momentum. Efe Mandıracı served three aces in a row to start the set on a 4-0 run, and the Dutch could not catch up. Each rally brought Türkiye closer, and once again it was Mandıracı who scored the final point, sealing a 3-1 victory (27-29, 25-23, 25-16, 25-19).

Adis Lagumdzija was central to the comeback, scoring 28 points and leading his side when they needed it most. On the other side, Michiel Ahyi worked hard to keep the Netherlands in the match and finished with 21 points, but it was not enough.

For Türkiye, the win means more than just a place in the quarterfinals — it marks their best-ever finish at a Men’s World Championship, going beyond the 11th place they achieved in 2022. 

Poland started well, taking the opening set with a steady lead. Canada responded in the second, fighting point for point before edging it 25-23 to even the score. For a moment, it seemed the match could go the distance.

But Poland regained control in the third set, tightening their attack and serving more effectively. They held off Canada to win 25-20, and from there, the gap only widened. The fourth set was one-sided, with Poland racing ahead early and closing it 25-14 to secure their place in the quarterfinals.

Kamil Semeniuk was Poland’s top scorer with 18 points, playing a balanced match in both attack and serve. For Canada, Sharone Vernon-Evans stood out with 23 points, keeping his team competitive through the first three sets.

Poland led in digs, 57 to 48, demonstrating a stronger defense and rally control. Canada, however, excelled in reception, finishing with 86 against Poland’s 56.

Poland moves on to the quarterfinals and keeps their chances of winning a medal, while Canada’s journey in the tournament comes to an end.

With these results, Türkiye will look to extend its historic run against tougher opposition in the quarterfinals, while Poland aims to build on their consistency as it chases another deep finish in the tournament. Both teams now stand just one win away from the semifinals.