The Bulgarian men's national team U20 continued its winning streak in the BVA European qualification in Sofia. Ventsislav Simeonov's squad defeated Serbia 3:2 (25:18, 25:13, 21:25, 22:25, 15:7) after a match in which they squandered a two-set lead but responded in the best possible way in the tie-break.
This is the second success for our young national players after the convincing 3:0 against North Macedonia at the start. Bulgaria collected 5 points and took the lead in the provisional standings before the last match of the day between Russia and Turkey. For Serbia, this is their second defeat in the tournament.
The match could have ended much earlier, as Bulgaria had almost complete control for two sets. The serve seriously troubled the Serbian reception, and the high efficiency in attack came from the good organization after the first ball.
The balance in the first set was maintained at the beginning, but gradually the Bulgarians started winning more rallies and pulled away. The lead reached five points at 15:10, and until the end, Serbia found no way to change the course of the set – 25:18.
The second set was even more convincing. A serving run by Nikola Gradinarov, in which he also recorded two aces, allowed Bulgaria to open up a lead as early as 7:1. From then on, the national team did not relinquish the initiative, and at 25:13, they seemed close to a quick victory.
However, Serbia changed the picture on the court in the third set. The opponent started to exert more serious pressure with their block, while inaccuracies accumulated in the Bulgarian game. Ventsislav Simeonov sought a change and brought in Petko Petkov in place of Nikola Velikov as setter. Bulgaria managed to make up some of its deficit but not to complete the comeback – 21:25.
The Serbs used the momentum gained in the fourth set as well. Bulgaria again found itself in the role of chasing, came close to the opponent in the final part, but Serbia maintained its lead and with 25:22 equalized the score.
After two consecutive lost sets, the reaction of the Bulgarian team in the tie-break was decisive. The serve again became a main weapon, and a run by Gradinarov helped for an early 6:2. At 9:3, control was entirely in Bulgarian hands. Serbia was not given an opportunity for another comeback, and Bulgaria closed the decisive set with 15:7.
Manushev with 26 points
Aleksandar Manushev was the top scorer in the match with 26 points, 6 of which were break points. Martin Tatarov finished with 16 points, Nikola Gradinarov added 13, and Evan Georgiev – 12. The top scorer for Serbia was Cvetkovic with 12 points.
Bulgaria had a significant advantage in attack and reception
| Indicator | Bulgaria | Serbia |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 12 | 14 |
| Attack efficiency | 53% | 41% |
| Attack points | 60 | 41 |
| Positive reception | 54% | 33% |
| Aces | 10 | 4 |
| Service errors | 18 | 13 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 26 | 29 |
| Total points scored | 108 | 88 |
The numbers show a serious Bulgarian superiority in attack – 60:41 points from attack and 53% against 41% efficiency. The difference in positive reception is also significant – 54% against 33%, and the pressure from the serve brought Bulgaria 10 aces against 4 for Serbia. The riskier serve also led to more errors – 18 for Bulgaria against 13 for the opponent. The Serbs had an advantage in blocking with 14:12, but the overall ratio of 108:88 points scored is clearly in favor of the Bulgarian team. Tomorrow at 5:30 PM, Bulgaria will face Turkey in their third qualifying match. Our young national players will be chasing their third consecutive victory in the tournament.
Photos: Nikolay Varadinov
