Pasay City. Philippines.The Turkish men's national team continued its fairy tale at the World Championship in the Philippines. In the round of 16 in Pasay City, the 'Efes' of volleyball defeated the Netherlands with 3:1 sets (27:29, 25:23, 25:16, 25:19) and qualified for the quarterfinals of a World Championship for the first time in their history.
How the match unfolded
1st Set (27:29):Turkey started nervously, with many service errors, and although they had a chance to turn the game around, they allowed the Netherlands to close it on their fifth set point.
2nd Set (25:23):The Turkish team stabilized their play on block and reception, and at the end, Mandıracı took responsibility and equalized the score.
3rd Set (25:16):Turkey showed complete dominance – Adis Lagumdžija was unstoppable, and the lead grew to double digits.
4th Set (25:19):Mandıracı's serves and Lagumdžija's consistency left no chance for 'the Oranges'. Turkey closed the match after another successful attack.
Match Statistics
| Element | Turkey | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Attacks | 59 | 56 |
| Blocks | 12 | 5 |
| Aces | 8 | 4 |
| Points from opponent errors | 23 | 22 |
| Total points | 102 | 87 |
Turkey was decisively better in block and serve – the difference in these elements decided the match.
Individual scorers
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Adis Lagumdzija | Turkey | 28 |
| Mandiraci | Turkey | 15 |
| Ahii | Netherlands | 21 |
| Koops | Netherlands | 14 |
Lagumdzija was the big hero with a total of 28 points, supported by Mandiraci (15). For the Netherlands, Ahii and Koops kept the team in the game but could not withstand the Turkish power.
Turkey demonstrated a new face with new coach Slobodan Kovac – disciplined, attacking, and with wide variability in play. With this victory, they not only eliminated the Netherlands but also, for the first time, ranked among the top eight teams in the world.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
