Ljubljana. The Bulgarian national team showed character and returned to winning ways in the Volleyball Nations League. After a dramatic defeat by host Slovenia a day earlier, Gianlorenzo Blengini's men prevailed over Canada with a 3:2(25:27, 25:22, 21:25, 25:19, 15:11) victory in their third match of the tournament in Ljubljana. This success is the "Lions'" first against the "Maple Leafs" in seven years and preserved Bulgaria's chances for a spot in the Final Eight.
Bulgaria now has 4 wins, 11 points, and occupies 9th place in the VNL provisional standings, just a step away from the finals zone. Canada remains 15th with 7 points. The victory also brought 3.70 points for the world ranking, with Bulgaria solidifying its 8th position with a total of 267.46 points.
Lorenzo Blengini's selection played a second turbulent match against a serious opponent, but this time managed to find the right solutions in the most crucial moments. After losing the first set and trailing 1:2, the Bulgarians did not break, but turned the match around with strong serving, aggressive attacking, and a lot of character. Denislav Bardarov made a very good entry, replacing Martin Atanasov.
The first set started excellently for Bulgaria. The national team led 10:6 after an ace by Iliya Petkov, and a little later Moni Nikolov electrified the hall with a serve at 123 km/h for 13:7. Aleksandar Nikolov and Alex Grozdanov continued to build their lead, and at 20:14, it seemed the set was decided. However, the Canadians gradually narrowed the gap, and after a series of errors at the end, dramatically snatched the first set 27:25.
Bulgaria reacted in the best possible way in the second set. Alex Nikolov led the team from the start, Grozdanov was flawless in the middle, and Moni Nikolov directed the game excellently. After the tie at 16:16, the "Lions" made a series of strong rallies, Martin Atanasov scored important points, and Alex Nikolov closed the set for 25:22.
The third set was the most difficult for the Bulgarians. Canada took an 11:6 lead, but Bulgaria once again showed character and tied at 12:12. An ace by Asparuh Asparuhov brought a turnaround for 16:15, but in the final rallies, the Canadians were more stable on the block and won the set 25:21.
The fourth set was a model of mature play by the national team. Denislav Bardarov set the tone with a powerful serve, Alex Nikolov continued to trouble the Canadian defense, and the block started working significantly better. At 20:15, the combination between Moni Nikolov and Aleksandar Nikolov definitively tipped the scales, and the young setter put an end to the dispute with another ace for 25:19.
In the tie-break, Bulgaria was already playing with immense confidence. Aleksandar Nikolov continued to be unstoppable, and at the very beginning, his brother Moni bombarded the opponent with powerful serves for a 3:0 start. The other national players supported him with excellent organization in all elements. Bulgaria closed the match with 15:11 and deservedly celebrated after more than two hours of battle.
Above all was Aleksandar Nikolov with an impressive 25 points, of which 23 were in attack and two aces. Asparuh Asparuhov added 12 points, Alex Grozdanov distinguished himself with 11 points, Denislav Bardarov scored 11, and Moni Nikolov played another magnificent match with 8 points, including five aces and two blocks.
Interestingly, despite the defeat, Canada surpassed Bulgaria in blocking with 11:5. However, the Bulgarians compensated with a huge superiority in attack (62:46) and serving (12:7), which ultimately proved decisive for the success.
| Indicator | Bulgaria | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | 62 | 46 |
| Block | 5 | 11 |
| Ace | 12 | 7 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 32 | 39 |
| Total points | 111 | 103 |
Bulgaria lost the battle on the block, but decisively won the one in attack and serving. It was the 12 aces and 62 attack points that compensated for the Canadians' superiority at the net and proved to be the key to victory.
| Top scorers for Bulgaria | Points |
|---|---|
| Aleksandar Nikolov | 25 |
| Asparuh Asparuhov | 12 |
| Alex Grozdanov | 11 |
| Denislav Bardarov | 11 |
| Simeon Nikolov | 8 |
| Iliya Petkov | 7 |
| Martin Atanasov | 5 |
Aleksandar Nikolov was once again Bulgaria's leader, but Simeon Nikolov also made a huge contribution. The setter not only organized the game excellently but also scored five aces and two blocks, becoming one of the heroes of the match.
| Rank | Team | Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Japan | 7 | 18 |
| 2. | USA | 5 | 16 |
| 3. | Ukraine | 5 | 16 |
| 4. | Poland | 5 | 14 |
| 5. | Slovenia | 5 | 11 |
| 6. | Italy | 4 | 13 |
| 7. | Serbia | 4 | 12 |
| 8. | Brazil | 4 | 11 |
| 9. | Bulgaria | 4 | 11 |
| 10. | Turkey | 3 | 9 |
| 11. | Belgium | 3 | 9 |
| 12. | Germany | 3 | 9 |
| 13. | France | 3 | 6 |
| 14. | Argentina | 2 | 6 |
| 15. | Canada | 1 | 7 |
| 16. | Iran | 1 | 6 |
| 17. | China | 1 | 4 |
| 18. | Cuba | 0 | 2 |
The battle for the Final Eight is becoming increasingly contested. Bulgaria remains ninth, but is only one position away from the qualification zone, and a potential success against Ukraine could lead the team into the top eight.
Bulgaria's next challenge is tomorrow at 14:00 against one of the most pleasant surprises in the VNL so far – Ukraine.
