The Bulgarian women's national team recorded a 3:1 victory over Sweden (25:19, 27:29, 25:19, 25:17) in the last friendly match between the two teams, played in Hristo Botev Hall. Marcello Abbondanza's squad demonstrated stable play in all elements and fully deserved the final success.
The match was the last of a series of three test matches between Bulgaria and Sweden, with this particular match having an official status. Right from the start, the Bulgarians set a high tempo and showed excellent reception performance, which allowed for variety in attack. The national team players controlled the events on the court throughout the entire first set and won it convincingly with 25:19.
The second set started better for the Swedish team, which relied mainly on its star, Isabelle Haak. The guests managed to build a six-point lead, but the Bulgarian squad reacted excellently. With good block organization and stable defense, our girls caught up with the deficit and even saved two set points at 22:24. A long point-for-point battle ensued, in which Sweden ultimately snatched the set after 29:27.
In the third set, Bulgaria again showed the play from the beginning of the match. Abbondanza gave a chance to almost the entire squad, and the team continued to be stable in all phases. The national team players regained their lead after 25:19, with the decisive point coming after a double block by Mikaela Stoyanova and Borislava Saykova.
The superiority of the Bulgarians was most emphatic in the fourth set. The national team dominated at the block and executed its counterattacks with high efficiency. Bulgaria left no doubt about its superiority, and Mikaela Stoyanova put an end to the dispute with a powerful attack for the final 25:17.
The friendly matches against Sweden are part of Bulgaria's preparation for the upcoming participation in the Nations League. The next stage of preparation will be in Rosario, where the national team players will play two more test matches against Argentina on May 30 and 31. After that, the team departs for Brazil for the first week of the VNL.
