The Bulgarian national volleyball team defeated Argentina 3:1 (25:18, 19:25, 25:19, 25:21) in a friendly match, and the detailed statistics reveal why Gianlorenzo Blengini's pupils deservedly achieved success.
Although the differences in some key indicators do not seem huge, the figures show a clear superiority of Bulgaria in crucial moments - first attack after reception, counter-attack, and converting break points.
Aleksandar Nikolov led the scorers, Grozdanov impressed with efficiency
The most effective player for Bulgaria was Aleksandar Nikolov with 19 points, and Alex Grozdanov finished with an impressive +/- coefficient of +10.
| Player | Points | +/- | Aces | Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleksandar Nikolov | 19 | +5 | 2 | 2 |
| Alex Grozdanov | 10 | +10 | 2 | 1 |
| Simeon Nikolov | 9 | +2 | 4 | 2 |
| Zhasmin Velichkov | 8 | +2 | 0 | 3 |
| Martin Atanasov | 7 | -1 | 1 | 2 |
| Asparuh Asparuhov | 5 | +1 | 1 | 0 |
Grozdanov was the most effective Bulgarian player by the plus/minus indicator (+10), while Simeon Nikolov impressed with four aces from serve. Aleksandar Nikolov was once again the main scoring figure in attack.
For Argentina, Luciano Vicentin was the top scorer with 15 points (4 aces and 1 block).
Bulgaria better in all key elements
The team statistics also tip the scales in favor of the Bulgarian squad.
| Indicator | Argentina | Bulgaria |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 7 | 10 |
| Attack success rate | 41% | 48% |
| Points from attack | 37 | 41 |
| Attack errors | 6 | 10 |
| Positive reception | 43% | 32% |
| Aces | 9 | 11 |
| Service errors | 24 | 19 |
| Total points | 83 | 94 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 30 | 32 |
At first glance, it is striking that Argentina has a better positive reception percentage (43% versus 32%), but despite this, they fail to convert this advantage into a more effective attack. Bulgaria converted 48% of its attacks against 41% for the opponent and scored four more points directly from attack.
Particularly important is the advantage in blocks (10 versus 7) and from the service line, where the Bulgarians recorded more aces (11 versus 9) and fewer service errors (19 versus 24).
The lost second set – the match's exception
The statistics of the second set clearly show why it went to the South Americans' account.
Argentina scored a total of 7 points directly from service, while Bulgaria responded with only 2 aces. This is the biggest difference in a single component for the entire match and practically determined the outcome of the set, won by the Argentinians with 25:19.
Outside of this period, the Bulgarian team controlled what was happening on the court.
The real difference – play after reception and in counter-attack
The most interesting indicators from the detailed Data Volley report are related to the quality of the first attack and the counter-attack.
| Indicator | Bulgaria | Argentina |
|---|---|---|
| First attack after good reception | 53% | 44% |
| First attack after problematic reception | 42% | 33% |
| Attack after a saved ball in defense | 50% | 43% |
This is exactly where Bulgaria's big advantage lies. The national team players were more effective both after a quality reception and when the setter had to organize an attack after a difficult situation. Even more impressive is the superiority in counter-attack after saved balls in defense, where the Bulgarians convert every second opportunity.
The break play tipped the scales
Another indicator confirms Bulgaria's superiority – the so-called break points.
The national team scored 31 break points, while Argentina remained at 19. This means that the Bulgarian team was significantly more successful in winning rallies on the opponent's serve – a component that often determines the outcome of evenly matched games.
Ultimately, the numbers show that the 3:1 victory was no accident. Although Argentina received better, Bulgaria was more effective in attack, more solid in blocking, and significantly more productive in transition situations and break play – precisely the elements that most often decide high-level matches.
photo:FeVa
