World and Olympic champion Italy became the first semi-finalist in the Women's Nations League 2026 Final Eight. Julio Velasco's team left no chances for the Netherlands and won emphatically 3:0(25:21,25:16,25:16) in the first quarter-final, played in Macau (China).
With this success, the "Azzurre" continue their title defense in the tournament.
Italy asserted its dominance from the very first rallies. Thanks to the excellent performances of Anna Danesi, Ekaterina Antropova, Sara Fahr, and Miriam Sylla, the Italians took a convincing lead early in the first set. The Dutch managed to reduce the deficit, but the champions again stepped up their game and closed the set 25:21.
In the second and third sets, the Italians' superiority was even more emphatic. Velasco's team dominated in all elements of the game and left no doubt as to which was the more class team, winning both sets 25:16.
Italy finished the match with 10 successful blocks against just 3 for the Netherlands, scored 7 aces against 2, and capitalized on 16 unforced errors by the opponent against 10 for the Netherlands.
The top scorer for the winners was Ekaterina Antropova with 16 points. Miriam Sylla added 11, Sara Fahr scored 10, and captain Anna Danesi contributed 8 points. For the Netherlands, Dambrink finished with 13 points, and Knollema with 9.
Quarter-final Schedule
| Date | Match | Time (Bulgarian time) |
|---|---|---|
| July 22 | Italy – Netherlands 3:0(25:21,25:16,25:16) | – |
| July 22 | Brazil – Japan | 14:30 |
| July 23 | Turkey – Canada | 11:00 |
| July 23 | USA – China | 14:30 |
The next obstacle for the world, Olympic, and reigning champions in the Nations League will be the winner of the clash between Brazil and Japan.
photo:volleyballworld.com
