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Men's Volleyball CEV European League 2018


VolleyRuller96
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LEG 1 SUMMARY - GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

 

Luxembourg, May 19, 2018. After a long wait, the inaugural Golden European League swang into action today with four games in the men's competition taking place to start six legs of exciting matches.  Belgium are one of the higher ranked teams in the competition, and they started with a four-set away win in Sweden.  It was a similar story for Estonia who travelled to Slovakia on this opening weekend and won 3-1.  Neighbours Portugal and Spain played an exciting match in Pool C which ended up going to the home side, while the second match in that pool ended with a staight sets win for Finland over Czech Republic.

 

Pool A

Sweden vs. Belgium 1-3 (20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 17-25)

•    Sweden's Fredrik Gustavsson was phenomenal, finishing as the top scorer of the game with 19 points.
•    Tomas Rousseaux had a truly great day himself, finishing as the top scorer for the 'Red Dragons' with 16 points.
•    Despite the loss for Sweden, it was a good day for their team.  Wilhelm Nilsson was a machine at the net, scoring a total of six winning blocks throughout the game.
•    Thanks to Belgium’s victory against the home team, the 'Red Dragons' currently hold the number 1 spot in the Pool A standings.

Quotes:

Tomas Rousseaux, player for Team Belgium:  "Sweden apparently had some really good spikers and play well when it comes to services, but all in all I think we were the better team today. The key to this victory was about mistake-management - we played smart and organised."

Fredrik Gustavsson, player for Team Sweden: "There was a lot of things that we didn’t do as well as we were supposed to. Even if it felt like the gap between our teams was not that big today, there were still some important rallies where we had to do better. In addition, we have to be more consistent when it comes to reception and service-pressure.” 

Slovakia vs. Estonia 1-3 (22-25, 26-24, 19-25, 17-25)

•    Going in, it was the 10th game between SVK and EST. Slovakia lead 6-3, but Estonia had won the last two matches and won again here.
•    Slovakia turned the score around in the second set, trailing 21-24 before winning 26-24.
•    About 1,200 spectators watched the game in Poprad (SVK).
•    Setter Andres Toobal (EST) and middle-blocker Emanuel Kohut (SVK), were awarded the best players of the match.

Quotes:

Andrej Kravárik, coach of Slovakia: “I think we had too much respect for the opponent. We knew that Estonia is a strong team, but we had to play with more power and courage. We did not push with the service as much as we wanted and we did not use the fact that Oliver Venno started as a receiver today. We have a young team and we need time. I hope that some of these young players will be key players in our national team in years to come.” 

Emanuel Kohút, captain of Slovakia: “We lost concentration after the second set. The third and fourth sets were not good from our side. We made too many errors, but we have a young team and that is normal. I think that our team has potential, but we need time. I hope that we will beat Sweden on Wednesday here in Poprad even though it will be a difficult match.”

Andres Toobal, captain of Estonia: “We played very confidently today, and I was a little bit surprised too, because we did not play any friendly matches before the CEV European League. For the first time we played with two opposites on the court, and we still had very good reception. We are very happy about this victory.” 

Gheorghe Cretu, coach of team Estonia: “This was our first match this season, since we did not play any match in the preparation, so I am satisfied with the result. We have been practicing many situations and to be honest, I am surprised that after such a short time we are able to play this way - for example with two opposites in the game. We had better attack, better block and even though we lost the second set, I saw lot of positives in our performance.”

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Pool C

Portugal vs. Spain 3-1 (25-18, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22)

•    Portugal were unstoppable in the first set, playing truly as a team. To be highlighted is the debut of Caique Silva with the national team and the domain on the net of their captain Alexandre Ferreira, allowing Portugal to advance to an 18-14 lead and close it at 25-18 with a failed service from Spain.
•    In the second set Portugal maintained the pressure with aggressive serves and spikes and were rewarded with a five-point advantage at 16-11. Fernando Munoz’s team reacted and reduced the gap to two points, but an attack from Alex Ferreira for 22-18 left little doubts as to who would win the set. Marco Ferreira closed it with a powerful spike for 25-20.
•    Spain changed their game in the third set, supported by Jorge Fernandez’s and Andres Villena’s attacks, and took control of the scoreboard. Altough Portugal tried to change the course of the set, the Spanish serves continued to open breaches in Portugal’s defence on the way to a 25-22 win.
•    In the final set, Spain continued to show confidence but Portugal were able to take the lead and gain a precious advantage. Leading by 21-17, Portugal saw Spain approaching rapidly, with two strong blocks, but secured their game and with an attack from Alex Ferreira closed the set at 25-22.
•    Marco Ferreira and Alexandre Ferreira, with 21 and 20 points, respectively, where the best scorers of the match, while Jorge Fernandez was the best for Spain with 13 points.

Quotes:

Hugo Silva, coach of Portugal: “It was difficult as expected and only with the enormous respect that we have for Spain were we able to play those first two sets. Our team played with joy and it is good to see some new faces showing their value, since these players have an enormous will to bring success to our country.”

Caique Silva, player of Portugal: “It was a spectacular moment. It couldn’t be a better debut for me and I owe this to this true family that our team is, welcoming me with open arms. We have been training hard and made two good sets. Afterwards we broke and lost a set, but we didn’t let that affect us and knew how to win the match. Now we will rest and afterwards try to add a new win in Spain this Wednesday.”

Fernando Munoz, coach of Spain: “We knew that it would be difficult since it was our first match. Like Portugal, we didn’t play any friendly matches. Portugal played well and in our play we felt a little the youth of this team and the fact that three of our players made their debuts today. We will try to play better in Guadalajara. We need more practice and match time with all the team.”

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Finland vs. Czech Republic 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 27-25)

•    Finland played very well in the first two sets while Czech Republic made a lot of mistakes. The third set was very tight, but in the last actions Czech Team made two errors, which ended the match. 
•    Finnish opposite spiker Samuli Kaislasalo scored 21 points and was the top scorer of the match.
•    The Finnish team hit seven ace serves, the Czechs only two. 
•    2,043 spectators were following the match, making it a sold out game and Saimaa Stadiumi was full of happy Finnish fans.

Quotes:

Tuomas Sammelvuo, coach of Finland: “In the first set we made mistakes, but they made even more errors. The second set was very good for us. I am happy for the last balls in the third set, because it was very important to win the third set. Overall I am very happy about this match. There are still two or three main points we have to improve. It is great to get this kind of experience for the players and the spectators.”

Michal Nekola, coach of Czech Republic: “We made a lot of easy mistakes in the two first sets. The third set was better, but at the end of it we again made two easy mistakes. Finland had better defence than us. We didn’t serve well enough in the first two sets and it was easy for the Finnish setter to play fast attacks. We are looking for our next match in Prague and we will be better.”

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he Netherlands vs. Slovenia 3-1 (25-12, 24-26, 25-15, 25-22)

•     The last time The Netherlands and Slovenia played against each other was in 2017 in the semi-final of the FIVB World League Group 2 Final Four in Australia. Slovenia won 3-0.
•    Maarten van Garderen is back in the national team after his beach volleyball adventure in 2017 with Christiaan Varenhorst. Van Garderen, who plays for the Italian club Azimut MODENA, was very successful on the sand winning the CEV Satellite in Kharkiv and finishing fourth at the FIVB World Championship in Vienna. Despite these results, Van Garderen decided to focus on his indoor career again.
•    Van Garderen served from 18-11 to 23-11 and made his team win the first set. He served a total of six aces in the match.  
•    The second set was a strong comeback game from the team of Slovenia, with Tonček Stern leading the attack. 
•    The Slovenian setter Matija Jereb (no. 5) got injured in the third set (back problems). 
•    The team of Slovenia was not complete in Doetinchem. They were missing some of their star players like Tine Urnaut, Alen Pajenk, Mitja Gasparini and Klemen Cebulj.
•    Best scorer of the game: Wouter ter Maat (the Netherlands) with 22 points. 

Quotes:

Samo Miklavc, coach of Slovenia: “Our team has changed a lot since we are missing some key players in this tournament. But our young players are getting a good opportunity to show themselves, which is what they did today. We weren’t able to put enough service pressure on The Netherlands though. In the end we lost to a better team today.”

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Turkey vs. Ukraine 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-20)

•    Ukraine are the gold medal winners from the 2017 edition of the European League.
•    Turkey celebrated their first Golden European League win against defending champions Ukraine.
•    Turkey and Ukraine met for the first time in the European League history.
•    In the first set it took a long time before a team took the lead, but in the end Turkey won the big points. 
•    Same numbers and same win in the first and the second set for the Turkish team.
•    Turkey were leading 16-11 in the third set, and kept the lead also above the 20 points. 
•    Best scorer of the game: Burutay Subasi (Turkey) with 17 points. 

Quotes:

Gökhan Gökgöz, player of Turkey: “We started the game very well. We did what we wanted and had planned. We played against a good team. We hope we will win again on Wednesday against the Netherlands.”

Nedim Özbey, coach of Turkey: “We are satisfied only with the result, not with the way we played. We did some good things but at the same time we made also some terrible mistakes. It’s our first victory in the Golden European League – Men, so it’s good. I hope that we will play better on Wednesday against the Netherlands. We have the features and ability to do this.”

Oleh Plotnytskyi, player of Ukraine: “There’s not much to say. We played badly. Turkey deserved their victory. Congratulations to them.”

Ugis Krastins, coach of Ukraine: “I am very upset because we played very bad. Our attack was not so good. We will try to fix our problems and to perform better for the next matches.”

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My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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LEG 1 SUMMARY - SILVER LEAGUE  

 

 

Luxembourg, May 19, 2018. The CEV Volleyball Silver European League started on Saturday with one match in each pool, while the other four teams take to the court tomorrow.  Latvia emerged as winners in Pool A, downing Austria in four sets, while over in Pool B Croatia proved too powerful for Hungary. 

 

Austria vs. Latvia 1-3 (21-25, 25-21, 17-25, 22-25)

•    The team coached by Avo Keel controlled the beginning. Latvia claimed the first set by an impressive 25-21 win.
•    Austria fought back, found their rhythm late in set 2 and tied the score after 25-21.
•    This comeback, however, did not last long as Latvia soon resumed their march towards a well-deserved 25-17 set win.
•    After spending 99 minutes on the court Latvia secured a highly competitive fourth set 25-22 win and a 3-1 match victory.
•    Paul Buchegger and Alexander Berger were the most prolific players for Austria, with 22 and 13 points, respectively. For Latvia Edvarts Buivids finished the match with 19 points.

Quotes:

Michael Warm, coach of Austria: “We made too many mistakes. We need more time together to work on our timing.”

Alexander Berger, player of Austria: “Today we showed only 50% of our potential, because we did not have enough time together. Look at me - after the CEV Champions League Final Four I had only two days with the team. Our service wasn't strong enough.”

Guntis Atars, assistant coach of Latvia: “After two weeks of preparation we started with a victory in the Silver European League. I think it was a good performance for our first game.”

Aleksandrs Kudrjasovs, player of Latvia: “For us it was very exciting, because we have a new team with many young players and a new coach. It was a good fight.”

Croatia vs Hungary 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-14)

•    Croatia had an easy task in their first game of the Silver European League, winning easily against Hungary. It wasn't a difficult match as was expected.
•    After an even start, the Croatians took the lead and finished the first set handedly 25-12. 
•    In the second set Hungary looked better, and even had a lead, but in the latter half of the set their concentration failed, allowing the home team to take the advantage and with it the set.
•     Croatia had good game in the third, taking an 8-1 lead that that eventually mushroomed to 21-10.
•    Best scorer of the game was Leo Andrić (Croatia) with 15 points, but the man of the match was Tsimafei Zhukouski who created all Croatia’s attacks.
•    Needs to be said that the Hungarian team was a very young, with quite a few debut players.

Quotes:

Ivan Rančić, head coach of Croatia: “We expected a harder match because Hungary is a good team, but we prepared for them very well. They changed some things during the match, but we responded very well."

Tsimafei Zhukouski, player for Croatia: “We gave our best to the team, and the result is very good for us. But tomorrow we start with preparations for a new match.”

Tamás Kaszap, player for Hungary: “I think we need time to better understand the tactics of our new coach. There are lots of young players, and a new system. I think everything will be much better when the time comes.”
 

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Belarus vs. Albania 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-21)

•    Albania was able to make pressure in the end of the first set. Opposite Anton Qafarena had some good attacks, but the block of the Belarussian team worked better.
•    Asmend Kula had success with several serves, which allowed Albania to have a chance of winning at least one set. 
•    Belarusian coach Viktar Beksha made several substitutions in the second set to allow his team to move more steadily in receiving the ball.
•    Opposite of Belarus Artur Udrys had successful attacks from the back zone of the court and became the top scorer for the home side with 14 points. 

Quotes:

"It was the first game for my guys and we were nervous. They outplayed us with their serves but we were the better side in all other aspects of the game. The opponents put up a fight, and the match had an intriguing finish," said Viktar Beksha, Coach of Belarus.

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My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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GROUP STANDINGS after leg 1 out of 6

(next leg: 23 may.)

 

 

Tie-Break Criteria:

1.Matches Won/Lost Ratio (MW/ML)
2. Points Achieved (3 PTS = 3:0 or 3:1 win ; 2 PTS = 3:2 win ; 1PTS = 2:3 defeat ; 0PTS = 0:3 or 1:3 defeat)
3. Set Ratio.

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE

System

1. :CZE is automatically pre-qualified to FINAL 4 as host
2. WINNERS of each group qualify to final four

3. If :CZE is amongst the Group Winners  the best 2nd-ranked team qualifies
4. The WINNER AND RUNNER UP OF FINAL 4 qualifies to the FIVB Challenger Cup

5. The WEAKEST TEAM OVERALL will be relegated

 

 

 

GROUP A

 

  Nation PTS MW ML Sets
1 :BEL  3 1 0 3:1
2. :EST  3 1 0 3:1
3. :SVK  0 0 1 1:3
4. :SWE  0 0 1 1:3

 

 

GROUP B
 

   Nation PTS MW ML SETS
1. :TUR  3 1 0 3:0
2. :NED  3 1 0 3:1
3. :SLO  0 0 1 1:3
4. :UKR  0 0 1 0:3

 

 

GROUP C

 

  Nation PTS MW ML SETS
1. :FIN  3 1 0 3:0
2. :POR  3 1 0 3:1
3. :ESP  0 0 1 1:3
4. :CZE   0 0 0 0:3



SILVER LEAGUE

System

1. :MKD is automatically pre-qualified to Final 4 as host

2. The GROUP WINNERS qualify to Final 4.
3. The BEST 2-ND PLACED TEAM also qualifies.

4. The FINAL 4 WINNER will qualify to the 2019 GOLDEN LEAGUE.

 

GROUP A

 

  Nation PTS MW ML SETS
1. :MKD  3 1 0 3:1
2. :LAT  3 1 0 3:1
3. :AUT  0 0 1 1:3
4. :KOS  0 0 1

1:3

 

 

GROUP B

 

  Nation PTS MW ML SETS
1. :CRO  3 1 0 3:0
2. :BLR  3 1 0 3:0
3. :ALB  3 0 0 0:3
4. :HUN  3 0 0 0:3

 

My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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Group Stage, LEG 2 out of 6

Day 1 out of 1  - 23 may 2018 - schedule

 

all times are CEST

 

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

GROUP A

 

18:00 :SVK Slovakia - :SWE Sweden
19:00 :EST Estonia - :BEL Belgium

GROUP B

 

15:30 :TUR Turkey - :NED Netherlands

18:00 :UKR Ukraine - :SLO Slovenia 

 

GROUP C 

 

20:00 :CZE Czech Republic - :FIN Finland
20:45 :ESP Spain - :POR Portugal

 

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE GOLDEN LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:

http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-golden-european-league-men

 

 

 

SILVER LEAGUE

 

GROUP A

 

17:30 :KOS Kosovo - :AUT Austria
19:30 :LAT Latvia - :MKD Macedonia

 

GROUP B

16:00 :HUN Hungary - :ALB Albania

19:00 :BLR Belarus - :CRO Croatia

 

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE SILVER LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:

http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-silver-european-league-maenner

My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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DAY 1 LEG 2

 

GROUP A :SVK Slovakia 3-1 :SWE Sweden (25-22 / 25-18 / 19-25 / 25-16)

GROUP A :EST Estonia 3-1 :BEL Belgium (25-16 / 25-20 / 27-29 / 25-17)

 

GROUP B :TUR Turkey 3-2 :NED Netherlands (25-23 / 21-25 / 25-20 / 20-25 / 15-12)
GROUP B :UKR Ukraine 3-0 :SLO Slovenia (25-23 / 25-23 / 25-18)

 

GROUP C  :CZE Czech Republic 1-3 :FIN Finland  (23-25 / 25-21 / 19-25 / 21-25)

GROUP C :ESP Spain 3-0 :POR Portugal (27-25 / 25-15 / 29-27)

 

GROUP A  :KOS Kosovo 0-3 :AUT Austria (18-25 / 12-25 / 17-25 )

GROUP A :LAT Latvia 3-0 :MKD Macedonia (25-17 / 25-16 / 25-19)
 

GROUP B :HUN Hungary 1-3 :ALB Albania  (25-22 / 21-25 / 21-25 / 23-25)
GROUP B :BLR Belarus 1-3 :CRO Croatia (25-21 / 17-25 / 19-25 / 20-25)

My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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LEG 2 SUMMARY - GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

 

Luxembourg, May 23, 2018. Estonia, Turkey and Finland lead Pools A, B and C respectively after Leg 2 at Golden European League. Estonia and Finland earned 6 points each, with Finland being the only team to lose one set after two rounds of the competition. Turkey top Pool B with 5 points after defeating The Netherlands in five sets on Wednesday. The Dutch team remain right behind with 4 points. 

POOL A

Slovakia vs. Sweden 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 19-25, 25-16)

  • It was the first match between Slovakia and Sweden in 11 years. Previously Slovakia won three times, Sweden once.
  • Sweden led 16-12 in the first set, but Slovakia turned the score and won 25-23 with a well timed ace from opposite Peter Mlynarcik.
  • Sweden played a really strong third set and took the lead (14-8), extending it to 22-16 before taking the set 25-19.
  • Slovakia were back in the game in the fourth set, winning it comfortably (25-16).
  • Top scorer of the match was Fredrik Gustavsson from Sweden with 25 points. Tomáš Kriško from Slovakia, who came back to the line-up collected 15 points.
  • 27-year-old setter Jakub Hrinak (Slovakia) recorded his debut in the national team.

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Andrej Kravárik, coach of Slovakia: "Sweden risked a lot in the service and we had troubles with our reception in the first set. I think key was the first set, because we were down and we came back. All of my players played well and I want also to thank our spectators here in Poprad. It was a much needed victory for us, because we had lost nine games in a row."

Johan Isacsson, coach of Sweden: "We had as many chances as we had against Belgium. We took the third set, but I think it is important to win the first set when you play away and we had a chance. Slovakia played at home, they are a strong team. I am proud of my players, but we need to play much better block-defence."

Estonia vs. Belgium 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 27-29, 25-17)

  • Birthday-boy Oliver Venno was the second best scorer for the winning side Estonia with 16 points, one less than teammate Renee Teppan.
  • For the second game in a row opposite Venno was used as outside-hitter, so Estonia had a powerful attack again.
  • The win was a sweet revenge for Estonia, as last summer Belgium stopped Estonia´s road to their first ever participation in the FIVB World Championship when the Red Dragons beat Estonia in the decisive match in the third round of qualifications.
  • About 2,000 spectators attended the match in Rakvere.

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Gheorghe Cretu, coach of Estonia: ”We play with two opposites and up to some point it gives us a very powerful attack. But at some point the opponent team will crack it open and things will get more complicated, as it's not possible to keep our game perfect all the time. Belgium has one of the best coaches in the world, so I did not expect an easy game. But I am happy with the result, I think the players still remembered last year's game against Belgium, so Oliver got a nice birthday present from the guys.”

Andrea Anastasi, coach of Belgium: “They played better than us, we have only been together for a week and it shows in the game. Our block and defence were bad, the service was ok. This competition is like this for us, we need time to get better but there is no time. But some young players get good experience here, so I am happy about that.” 

 

POOL B

Turkey vs. The Netherlands - 3-2 (25-23, 21-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-12)

  • The team of Turkey claimed an important 3-2 win in their matchup vs. The Netherlands in the second leg of #EuroLeagueM. Many Volleyball supporters attended the match that took place on Wednesday and made an exciting atmosphere in the sports hall in Van (Turkey). 
  • 5000 spectators enjoyed some high-class Volleyball on Wednesday.
  • Metin Toy from Turkey finished the match scoring 21 points with 45% efficiency in attack while Burak Gungor recorded 15 points to his name for the winning side.
  • Maarten Van Garderen from The Netherlands was named Best Player of the match scoring 21 points as well, but this was not enough and the Dutch players lost for a very first time in the competition.

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Nedim Ozbey, head coach of Turkey: “We knew it would be a very tough match today, we played very well in the first two sets. We tried to stay focused especially in the last parts of each set, but they were putting a pressure on us with their actions on the service line and in attack. Fortunately, we were always able to fight back and in the end we won this match. Thanks to all of our  fans who supported us today. The atmosphere was incredible.” 

Murat Yenipazar, player of Turkey: “It was a match with a lot of ups and downs and this remains the main problem for our team, we suffer from lack of concentration. The only part of the game, when we were totally focused, was the scoring of the last points in the first two sets and the fourth one. I’m happy that we won the game against The Netherlands.”

Nedim Ozbey, head coach of Turkey: “We knew it would be a very tough match today, we played very well in the first two sets. We tried to stay focused especially in the last parts of each set, but they were putting a pressure on us with their actions on the service line and in attack. Fortunately, we were always able to fight back and in the end we won this match. Thanks to all of our  fans who supported us today. The atmosphere was incredible.” 

Ukraine vs. Slovenia

More details will follow soon...
 

POOL C

Czech Republic vs. Finland 1-3 (23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 21-25) 

•    The first set was a very close one, until the Finns broke away to lead 24-19; the hosts scored four times in a row but it was not enough to end the set in their favour. 
•    The second set followed a similar plot, with the Czechs eventually winning it. 
•    Finland responded by taking the third and fourth sets with great passing and, as a result, they secured their second straight victory in as many matches they have played this far. 
•    The Czech fans contributed a great atmosphere, which the home stars enjoyed very much. There were many Finnish fans as well. 

Jakub Janouch, captain of Czech Republic: “I would like to thank all the fans who came to support us today. The match started at 8pm on a weekday and the fans were just great. For our next matches we have to train harder because we still aren’t good when it comes to our teamwork.”

Sauli Sinkkonen, captain of Finland: “We achieved a victory at home last Saturday and I am so glad that we won again today.” 

Spain vs. Portugal 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 29-27)

  • Spain extended their streak at home, achieving a new victory. 
  • The president of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco, was in Guadalajara, accompanied by Agustín Martín Santos-President of  RFEVB and Antonio Román-Major of Guadalajara. Authorities congratulated the Spanish team. 
  • Spain had a great performance on the block, controlling the Portuguese attack. 
  • Spain showed their improvement and avenged their first match defeat in the Golden European League.
  • Both teams are tied in the pool, with one victory apiece over each other .
  • Spain’s Andrés Villena was the man of the match with 24 points and 5 blocks.

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Fernando Muñoz, coach of Spain: “Personally, I am very happy and proud. Today was a special moment for some teammates, because they played their first match wearing the national shirt of Spain.”

 

 

LEG 2 SUMMARY - SILVER LEAGUE

 

 

Luxembourg, May 23, 2018. Latvia and Croatia confirmed their strong start to the CEV Silver European League. Both secured two victories in as many matches after Leg 2, becoming the top teams in their respective Pools A and B. On Wednesday Latvia needed three sets only to beat the Former Y.R. of Macedonia, while Austria claimed second place in Pool A and recorded their first victory in the competition after a 3-0 win over Kosovo. In Pool B, Croatia required four sets to win against Belarus. Albania followed their example with a 3-1 win against Hungary, but the team remain third in Pool B.

POOL A

Kosovo vs. Austria 0-3 (18-25, 12-25, 17-25) 

•    After losing to Latvia last Saturday, Austria celebrated their first victory in the competition, beating Kosovo 3-0 in Gjilan. 
•    The first set was a close affair up to 14-all before Austria edged ahead and imposed their rule. 
•    Austrian rising Volleyball star Paul Buchegger top scored with 17 points. 
•    As they paid their first-ever visit to Kosovo, Austria travel home with maximum three points from this game. 
•    The men’s national team of Kosovo played their first-ever match at Bashkim Selishta-Petriti sports hall in the city of Gjilan. 

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Peter Wohlfahrtstätter, player of Austria: “We watched a lot of videos of Kosovo and we knew every player. We did too many mistakes but we managed to get back in good shape. Since last Saturday, we had another two, three training sessions together in order to establish a better connection and chemistry, and this is the result.”
 
Michael Warm, head coach of Austria: “We are happy that we won today and we were extremely focused and concentrated. The next match in Skopje will be another tough one. We saw the match of Kosovo against the Former Y.R. of Macedonia and we tried to pay attention to their middle-blocker, and that was key towards our victory today.” 

Latvia vs. Former Y.R. of Macedonia 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-19) 

•    After beating Austria last Saturday, Latvia recorded their second straight victory in the competition. 
•    Nikola Gjorgiev top scored for the visitors with 12 points. 
•    Edvarts Buivids paced Latvia with 16 as Deniss Petrovs delighted the home fans in his hometown Daugavpils with a solid performance.

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Deniss Petrovs, player of Latvia: “The Former Y.R. of Macedonia was an opponent that we did not know very well, however we managed to win. Today I felt like we had a better chemistry in the game. I was very honoured to receive the MVP title – especially while playing in my hometown. Now we are looking forward to the next game with Kosovo.”

Nikola Gjorgiev, player of the Former Y.R. of Macedonia: “Latvia was a tough opponent and we did not expect this to be an easy game, especially after seeing how they fought in Austria. We started well, however we made many mistakes. The good thing is we still have time to improve our game. Good luck to Latvia in the next games and we will now prepare for our game with Austria.”

POOL B

Hungary vs. Albania 1-3 (25-22, 21-25, 21-25, 23-25)

  • Both teams lost their first games in Pool A. Albania gained their first victory in this year’s Silver European League, while Hungary are still winless after two rounds.
  • Albania started the first set strongly, but Hungary bounced back, tied at 17-17 and kept the lead to win 25-22.
  • Both teams kept the score tight in the second set, with neither leading by more than three points, up until 18-18. At that moment, Albania seized an opportunity to go 22-18 ahead, and eventually won the set 25-21.
  • The visiting team dominated the third set since the beginning, leading 5-2, 16-12 and 22-18, eventually recording a 25-21 win.
  • Albania took a seven-point lead in the fourth set (16-9), but Hungary managed to equalise at 19-19. Albania were able to stop their opponent and won the set in the end with 25-23. 
  • Top scorers of the match were Hungary’s Krisztián Pádár with 12 points and Albania’s Gazmend Husaj with 20 points. 
    Anton Qafarena from Albania was named the best player of the match. 

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Péter Blazsovics, player of Hungary: “We started the match really well, but after the first set our performance began to drop. Our coach tried to help us with substitutions, but it didn’t achieve the desired effect. We fought really hard but unfortunately it wasn’t enough for the victory. We will try to improve our performance for the next match.”

Gazmend Husaj, captain of Albania: “We have a very young team, we are trying to develop from match to match. I hope we can build on this victory for the upcoming games.”

Belarus vs. Croatia 1-3 (25-21, 17-25, 19-25, 20-25) 

•    The 211 cm tall opposite of Belarus, Artur Udrys, displayed a very solid blocking game in the early stages of the match and the attacks killed by Andrei Radziuk paved the way towards a 25-21 win for Belarus. 
•    However, Croatia showed great defence in the remainder of the match and Belarus could not keep their pace high despite many substitutions. Leo Andrić scored two aces in a row to seal a 25-17 win for Croatia in the second set. 
•    The setter of Croatia, Tsimafei Zhukouski, made it very difficult for Belarus to read the Croatian game. Andrić top scored in the end with 28 points as the only 17-year-old Uladzislau Davyskiba scored his first point (an ace) with the Belarusian senior national team.

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Viktar Beksha, head coach of Belarus: “Croatia played better in defence and obviously their serve today decided the outcome of the match. It was difficult for us to receive their serves. We need to work on our own mistakes.” 

Ivan Rančić, head coach of Croatia: “Our new team performed well here in Minsk. We carefully prepared for this game from a tactical standpoint. Belarus is one of the favourites of the Silver European League, so it was important for us to keep concentration and win. We are sure that we will have more interesting matches with this opponent.” 

 

My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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GROUP STANDINGS after leg 2 out of 6

(next leg: 26-27 may.)

 

 

Tie-Break Criteria:

1.Matches Won/Lost Ratio (MW/ML)
2. Points Achieved (3 PTS = 3:0 or 3:1 win ; 2 PTS = 3:2 win ; 1PTS = 2:3 defeat ; 0PTS = 0:3 or 1:3 defeat)
3. Set Ratio.

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE

System

1. :CZE is automatically pre-qualified to FINAL 4 as host
2. WINNERS of each group qualify to final four

3. If :CZE is amongst the Group Winners  the best 2nd-ranked team qualifies
4. The WINNER AND RUNNER UP OF FINAL 4 qualifies to the FIVB Challenger Cup

5. The WEAKEST TEAM OVERALL will be relegated

 

 

 

GROUP A

 

  Nation PTS MW ML Sets
1 :EST  6 2 0 6:2
2. :BEL  3 1 1 4:4
3. :SVK  3 1 1 4:4
4. :SWE  0 0 2

2:6

 

 

GROUP B
 

   Nation PTS MW ML SETS
1. :TUR  5 2 0 5:2
2. :NED  4 1 1 3:1
3. :UKR  3 1 1 3:3
4. :SLO  0 0 2 1:6

 

 

GROUP C

 

  Nation PTS MW ML SETS
1. :FIN  6 2 0 6:1
2. :ESP  3 1 1 4:3
3. :POR  3 1 1 3:4
4. :CZE   0 0 2 1:6



SILVER LEAGUE

System

1. :MKD is automatically pre-qualified to Final 4 as host

2. The GROUP WINNERS qualify to Final 4.
3. The BEST 2-ND PLACED TEAM also qualifies.

4. The FINAL 4 WINNER will qualify to the 2019 GOLDEN LEAGUE.

 

GROUP A

 

  Nation PTS MW ML SETS
1. :LAT  6 2 0 6:1
2. :AUT  3 1 1 4:3
3. :MKD  3 0 2 3:4
4. :KOS  0 0 2

1:6

 

 

GROUP B

 

  Nation PTS MW ML SETS
1. :CRO  6 2 0 6:1
2. :BLR  3 1 1 4:3
3. :ALB  3 1 1 3:4
4. :HUN  0 0 2 1:6

 

My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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7 hours ago, VolleyRuller96 said:

GROUP A :SVK Slovakia 3-1 :EST Sweden (25-22 / 25-18 / 19-25 / 25-16)

 

Did Sweden invading the Baltic territories ? :p

 

But wow, we won a match in volleyball, that´s really something new. I wonder when this happened last time, this must be for ages :d

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8 minutes ago, hckosice said:

 

Did Sweden invading the Baltic territories ? :p

 

But wow, we won a match in volleyball, that´s really something new. I wonder when this happened last time, this must be for ages :d

 

:lol: Well, at least now Eesti can into Nordic ;)

 

Thx, corrected

 

My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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Group Stage, LEG 3 out of 6

Day 1 out of 2  - 26 may 2018 - schedule

 

all times are CEST

 

 

GOLDEN LEAGUE 

 

GROUP A

 

20:00 :SWE Sweden - :EST Estonia
20:30 :BEL Belgium - :SVK Slovakia

GROUP B

 

17:00 :NED Netherlands - :UKR Ukraina

 

GROUP C 

 

19:00 :CZE Czech Republic - :ESP Spain
19:00 :FIN Finland - :POR Portugal

 

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE GOLDEN LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:

http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-golden-european-league-men

 

 

 

SILVER LEAGUE

 

GROUP A


18:00 :LAT Latvia -:KOS Kosovo

 

GROUP B

16:00 :BLR Belarus - :HUN Hungary
17:00 :CRO Croatia - :ALB Albania

 

FREE STREAMING OF THE SILVER LEAGUE MATCHES IS AVAILABLE AT:

http://www.laola1.tv/en-int/channel/volleyball-cev-silver-european-league-maenner

My favourite Volleyball position: LIBERO. You ask why? Look here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyIOarNAONk

 

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