After the painful quarter-final loss to Spain, in which the Bulgarian national team led 2-0 but allowed a comeback, the young "lions" showed strong character and maximum concentration in their next match. In a playoff match for places fifth to eighth in Tashkent, Miroslav Zhivkov's proteges decisively won 3-0 (25:17, 25:23, 25:21) against the Republic of Korea.
From the very first rally, the Bulgarian team demonstrated a mindset that clearly showed the heavy loss to the Spaniards was behind them. Excellent defensive organization, stable blocking, and varied attacks were the key to the convincing victory.
🟩First set: a start demonstrating class
The match started with a bang for our boys, who quickly took a 5:1 lead. Control was complete – the score swelled to 10:5, and a little later to 16:10. The Koreans could not find a way to break through the Bulgarian block and organization. The set ended with a convincing 25:17 – no doubt about the ultimate winner of this part.
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The second set started stronger for the Koreans, who took the initiative and led 10:7. However, the Bulgarians reacted and reduced the difference to 12:13. A new series for the opponent followed, making it 12:16, but the national team did not give up. At 22:23 for Korea, Miroslav Zhivkov's players scored four consecutive points and closed the set at 25:23 – a sign of maturity and confidence.
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Having conceded comebacks against the USA and Spain after a 2-0 lead, this time the Bulgarians were determined not to leave any chance for a surprise. Although the set started evenly, our team had a slight advantage and maintained it. At 15:15, we made an important three-point run, which gave a psychological advantage – 18:15. Until the end, the Koreans failed to get closer. A 25:21 victory and a decisive 3:0.
Statistical analysis:
Although the Korean team finished with more successful attacks – 41 against 39 for Bulgaria – the home volleyball players showed significantly better efficiency and balance in their play. Blocking was once again one of the main weapons – ten successful blocks against just four for the Asians. This not only stopped some of the opponent's attacks but also provided a psychological advantage at key moments.
Serving was also in Bulgaria's favor – 6 aces against only 2 for Korea, and the initial serve not only brought direct points but often hampered reception and disrupted the opponent's organization.
In terms of errors, we also led – in a positive sense. The Koreans made 19 unforced errors, compared to 13 for Bulgaria, which once again underscores the concentration with which our team played the match.
Top scorers:
Jasmin Velichkov was once again the top scorer for Bulgaria with 18 points, demonstrating an excellent balance between attack and serve. Nikolay Nikolaev also provided serious support, adding 12 points. For Korea, the only player with a double-digit tally was Yunchan with 13 points, followed by Kangho with 8.
A curious moment from the match was Konstantinov's absence from play. Although he was included in the squad, this time coach Zhivkov did not rely on him in any set, opting for a rotation with Manolev, which paid off.
Individual statistics:
| No. | Name | Position | Total Points | Attack | Block | Aces | Efficiency (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Velichkov (c) | Outside Hitter (OH) | 18 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 29.79 |
| 2 | Nikolaev | Middle Blocker (MB) | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 10.81 |
| 19 | Manolev | Outside Hitter (OH) | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 19.35 |
| 22 | Totkov | Middle Blocker (MB) | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | -5.56 |
| 9 | Uzunov | Setter (S) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -4.00 |
| 7 | Marinov | Opposite (O) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -6.25 |
| 99 | Peychinov | Opposite (O) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 14 | Tiholov | Libero (L) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 17 | Konstantinov | Outside Hitter (OH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 20 | Petkov | Setter (S) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 21 | Mihovski | Middle Blocker (MB) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -50.00 |
| 33 | Marinski | Opposite (O) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
What's next:
With this success, Bulgaria secured the opportunity to play for fifth place at the World Championship. Our opponent will be determined by the match between Italy and Finland. The match for 5th place is important not only for prestige but also for the future confidence of this talented generation, which has shown that it can recover after heavy blows.
