In another match from the group stage of the World Cup in Manila, there was a surprising result. Ukraine lost with a categorical 0:3 (16-25, 17-25, 22-25) against Belgium. Despite their good season in the VNL, Raul Lozano's team failed to cope with the aggressive serve and stable block of their opponent.
Belgium, led by captain Sam Deroo, who is a future teammate of Moni Nikolov in the Russian Lokomotiv, and the young opposite of Allianz Milan, Ferre Reggers, demonstrated concentration and discipline, taking advantage of more unforced errors by the Ukrainians. Thus, the "Red Dragons" recorded a valuable victory, which also brings them a psychological advantage for the next matches.
Match statistics
| Team | Attack | Block | Serve | Opponent's errors | Total points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine | 31 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 55 |
| Belgium | 40 | 10 | 6 | 19 | 75 |
Belgium dominated in attack (40 vs 31), but the difference in block was most noticeable (10 vs 5). Adding more points won from Ukraine's errors (19 vs 15), the difference in the total score became a whole 20 points.
Individual performances
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Reggers | Belgium | 23 |
| Rottie | Belgium | 12 |
| Gunner | Ukraine | 14 |
| Yanchuk | Ukraine | 8 |
The 22-year-old opposite of Allianz Milano, Ferre Reggers, was undoubtedly the brightest figure on the court. With 55.6% efficiency in attack and a stable presence at the net, he shaped a profile of a leader who is yet to establish his name.
Captain Sam Deroo also made an important contribution with his 12 points, showing experience and composure.
Bulgaria wins without playing
Belgium's surprising success proved favorable for our national team. Following Ukraine's loss, as well as Iran's earlier loss to Egypt, Bulgaria now occupies 13th place in the world ranking. Ukraine dropped two places and is now 16th, and Belgium is "breathing down their neck" in 17th position.
photos:volleyballworld.com
