Pasay City, Philippines.The Polish national team won 3:0 (25:15, 25:22, 25:19) against Turkey. Although the score appears straightforward, the match was far from trouble-free for the 'white-reds'. Especially in the second and partly in the third set, the Turks put up resistance, but the class and discipline in the Poles' play proved decisive.
The absence of Madırcı and the role of the Lagumdzija brothers
Turkey played without their main receiver and star Efe Madırcı, who remained on the bench. In his absence, the burden fell on the Lagumdzija brothers – Adis and Mirza, who at times kept the team in the game. Despite their efforts, the experience of the silver medalists from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games prevailed.
| Statistics | Poland | Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | 40 | 32 |
| Block | 7 | 2 |
| Serve | 6 | 1 |
| Opponent errors | 22 | 21 |
| Total points | 75 | 56 |
The Poles convincingly won in the main elements – attack and block. The serve also brought them a significant advantage (6 aces against 1). Turkey received some help from opponent errors, but could not take advantage in decisive moments.
| Individual statistics | Poland | Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Top scorer | Wilfredo Leon – 13 pts. | A. Lagumdzija – 12 pts. |
| Second scorer | Jakub Kochanowski – 12 pts. | M. Lagumdzija – 9 pts. |
Leon's leadership role is key for Poland – his stability in attack and serve makes the difference in difficult moments. Turkey relied entirely on Alex Nikolov's former Lube teammate Adis Lagumdzija, which made their game predictable.
| Team elements | Poland | Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Digs in defense | 29 | 34 |
| Reception | 43 | 55 |
| Setting | 63 | 61 |
It is interesting that Turkey outperforms Poland in defense and reception, but this was not reflected in the final result. The reason is the more effective use of good balls by the Poles, as well as their more effective block.
Onwards to a repeat of the World Championship final
With the victory, Poland secured a semi-final match against Italy – a repeat of the final from the last World Championship, when the "Azzurri" triumphed on Polish soil. Now, however, the Poles have a chance for revenge and to demonstrate that they have learned from the bitter experience.
The behavior of the "white-reds" left a bitter taste; they did not deign to take a group photo after the match, and according to some colleagues, this is not the first time.
photos: Nikolay Varadinov
