PASAY CITY, PHILIPPINESThe Bulgarian national team achieved a convincing 3:0 (25:17, 25:12, 25:12) victory over Chile in a match from GroupEat the World Volleyball Championship held in the Philippines. The match in Pasay City was completely under the control of Gianlorenzo Blengini's players.
With this result, the Bulgarians finished the group stage in first place with a total of8 pointsand an impressive set ratio9:2. This is the seventh time in history that the national team has topped their group at a world championship. The next obstacle for the 'Lions' will be an 1/8-final match, which will take place on Monday against the second-placed team from GroupD.
There was also Bulgarian support in the stands – a compatriot from Plovdiv, married to a Filipina, working in Germany, who took special leave to come and support our team. On his way to the Philippines, he stopped in Bulgaria to pick up his mother to join the cheer squad.
Key Match Statistics
Bulgarian Attack Strength
| Element | Bulgaria | Chile |
|---|---|---|
| Attacks | 44 | 23 |
| Blocks | 9 | 1 |
| Aces | 7 | 1 |
| Points from opponent's errors | 15 | 16 |
| Total points | 75 | 41 |
Analysis:Bulgaria's dominance was evident in every aspect. Twice as many successful attacks and a nine times more effective block showed the categorical difference in class. The serve also put serious pressure on the Chilean reception, and the final point difference (75:41) is the most accurate reflection of what happened on the court.
Defense and Reception
| Element | Bulgaria | Chile |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive saves | 44 | 39 |
| Receptions | 36 | 65 |
| Set balls | 64 | 67 |
Analysis:Chile was under constant pressure from the serve, which explains the large difference in the number of receptions – almost twice as many as our team. Bulgaria stood firm in defense, which allowed for effective organization and security in building attacks.
Top Scorers
| Player | Points | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Aleksandar Nikolov | 17 | Bulgaria |
| Martin Atanasov | 12 | Bulgaria |
| Vicente Parraguirre | 7 | Chile |
| Valenzuela | 7 | Chile |
Analysis:Aleksandar Nikolov was once again the main scorer with 17 points, while Martin Atanasov supported with 12. Among the South Americans, there was no prominent leader – Parraguirre and Valenzuela tallied a modest 7 points each.
Bulgaria played one of its strongest matches since the start of the championship – focused, disciplined, and aggressive in attack. The team showed collective stability and depth in its squad, which gives optimism for the upcoming knockout phases.
