Poland's Bogdanka LUK Lublin started more than impressively in their Champions League debut, after decisively defeating one of the most experienced and strong European clubs – Halkbank Ankara. The match in the packed "Hala Globus Tomasz Wójtowicz" ended quickly and unequivocally: 3:0 (25:20, 25:14, 25:13), with Stefan Antiga's team demonstrating class, dynamism, and complete control in all elements.
The hosts showed a mature and aggressive game, dictating the tempo from the first to the last ball. The strong serve, stable block, and high attack efficiency led to huge differences in the second and third sets, in which the guests from Ankara were literally neutralized.
The superiority is also evident in the total point balance: 75:47 in favor of LUK.
The statistics of the Bulgarian volleyball players showed clear contrasts between the two camps. While Alex Grozdanov was among the most effective players for the Polish team, Matey Kaziyski and Tsvetan Sokolov failed to reach their usual scoring performance, and no Halkbank player reached 10 points.
Alex Grozdanov – statistics
| Player | Points | Coefficient | Ace | Blocks | Attack efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Grozdanov | 7 | +5 | 1 | 3 | 75% |
Grozdanov was among LUK's most stable figures. With 75% attack efficiency and three blocks, he made a serious contribution both in scoring and in controlling the tempo of play at the net.
Matey Kaziyski – statistics
| Player | Points | Coefficient | Ace | Positive reception | Perfect reception | Attack efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matey Kaziyski | 6 | -3 | 2 | 43% | 7% | 33% |
Kaziyski had a difficult match. Low reception statistics and limited attacking efficiency resulted in an overall coefficient of -3. The only bright spot was his two aces, but they did not change the overall look of his stats.
Tsvetan Sokolov – statistics
| Player | Points | Coefficient | Block | Attack efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tsvetan Sokolov | 8 | +5 | 1 | 44% |
Sokolov finished as Halkbank's top scorer, but with limited participation in attack and average efficiency. A +5 coefficient is a positive sign, but his performance was severely limited by poor reception and the team's difficulty in organizing their play.
The first set started promisingly for Lublin with a 3:0 lead, but the Turkish team managed to turn it around to 16:15 after a block against Leon. From then on, the Cuban's serve completely changed the rhythm, and LUK closed the set 25:20.
The second set repeated the scenario: a quick lead for the Poles and increasing pressure. The hosts' blocks brought in a full eight points, and Stoichev took out Leal in an attempt to stabilize the reception with the appearance of Slivka, who was loudly applauded by the Polish crowd.
Nothing helped, however — another 3:0 at the start, and the final score was a decisive 25:14.
The third set offered no change. Lublin once again built an early lead, extended to 11 points after a series of powerful serves and stable game organization. Halkbank was without reaction, and the match logically concluded with 25:13, confirming the complete superiority of Stefan Antiga's team.
With this convincing start, Bogdanka LUK Lublin occupies an excellent position in Group B, which also includes Galatasaray Istanbul and Knack Roeselare.
photos: CEV and Halkbank Sports Club
