France continues undefeated at the Men's European Championship. "Les Bleus" recorded their third consecutive victory in Group D in Cluj, after defeating Latvia 3:1 (25:12, 25:16, 22:25, 25:13).
Thus, Andrea Giani's team is at the top with a full nine points and only one lost set. Germany is also undefeated and occupies the second position with 8 points, with the two teams scheduled to meet on Tuesday.
The French started extremely strong against Latvia. In the first set, they achieved 81% attack efficiency, made 5 blocks and 2 aces, and won decisively with 25:12. Their superiority continued in the second set – 25:16.
Latvia, which had already managed to surprise host Romania in Cluj, showed a completely different face in the third part. Kristaps Smits led the Baltic team and the Latvians reduced their deficit after 25:22.
France responded immediately. A serving run by Mathis Henno provided the initial impetus, and after Théo Faure's return, the French took an 11:3 lead. There was no new comeback – 25:13 and a final 3:1.
Simon Magnin had an impressive match for the winners with 16 points, with as many as 9 of them coming from blocks. He also converted 7 out of 9 attacks. Mathis Henno also finished with 16 points with 68% attack efficiency, 2 blocks, and 1 ace. Théo Faure added 14 points, and Antoine Pothron – 13. For Latvia, Kristaps Smits was the top scorer with 19 points.
| Rank | Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | Sets | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9:1 | 9 |
| 2 | Germany | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9:3 | 8 |
| 3 | Romania | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6:7 | 4 |
| 4 | Turkey | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4:6 | 3 |
| 5 | Latvia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4:7 | 3 |
| 6 | Switzerland | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1:9 | 0 |
France and Germany have already pulled away in the top two positions, while the battle behind them remains completely open. Romania has 4 points, while Turkey and Latvia each have 3. The developments in Cluj are particularly interesting for Bulgaria due to the very real possibility of our national team finishing third in Group B. After the 1:3 loss to Ukraine and with the upcoming match against Poland, this scenario must be seriously considered. If Bulgaria finishes third, they will face the second-placed team from Group D in the round of 16 in Sofia. Currently, Germany occupies the second position in Group D. The Bundestteam has three wins and 8 points, one behind France. However, before the direct clash between the two teams, Germany has one more match – against Switzerland on Monday. Monday also features the important match Romania – Turkey. On Tuesday, the schedule offers Latvia – Switzerland and the big clash France – Germany, which could prove decisive for the top two positions. The group concludes on Wednesday with Turkey – Latvia and France – Romania. From a Bulgarian perspective, the battle between France and Germany deserves special attention. If Bulgaria remains third in Sofia, the second-placed team from Group D will be our opponent in the very first knockout match.
photo:cev.eu
