The Belgian national team achieved its third victory in the Men's Nations League, after overturning China, led by Belgian specialist Vital Heynen, with a score of 3:1 (26:28, 25:21, 25:21, 25:20) in a match from the second week of the tournament, played in Gliwice (Poland).
For Heynen, the match was more special, as he faced his home country, but he failed to prevent another defeat for the Chinese team.
With the victory, the Belgians temporarily climbed to 9th place in the VNL provisional standings with 3 wins and 9 points, maintaining real chances to fight for a spot among the top eight. China remains with one win and is in 16th position.
The success also brought valuable points for the world ranking. Belgium added 2.58 points and remained in 14th place with a total of 233.05 points, while China lost the same amount and is now 30th in the world with 133.19 points.
The Belgians were more effective in attack and made excellent use of their opponent's errors. They scored 66 points from attack against 55 for China and received 23 points from Chinese errors. The Chinese had an advantage in blocking (11:8) and serving (6:4), but this was not enough to compensate for the difference in the other elements.
| Statistic | China | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | 55 | 66 |
| Block | 11 | 8 |
| Serve | 6 | 4 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 18 | 23 |
| Total points | 90 | 101 |
| Digs | 61 | 77 |
| Reception | 92 | 80 |
| Sets | 107 | 123 |
Although China dominated in blocking and serving, Belgium compensated with a far more effective attack, more digs in defense, and better organization in transitions. The additional five points that came from Chinese errors also significantly tipped the scales in favor of the European team.
The most effective player for China was Wang Bin with 20 points, while Wen Zihuan distinguished himself with 14 successful attacks. For Belgium, Reggers shone, finishing with an impressive 38 points, while Fafchamps added 10.
After dramatically winning the first set with 28:26, the Chinese were unable to maintain their level. Belgium gradually took control of the match, winning the next three sets with identical scores in the first two (25:21) and closing the match with 25:20, recording a fully deserved victory.
photo:volleyballworld.com
