Halkbank Ankara suffered a painful home defeat after squandering a 2-1 set lead and losing to Knack Roeselare 2-3 (18:25, 25:21, 26:24, 15:25, 12:15) in a dramatic Group B match.

The match unfolded according to a scenario favorable for the Turkish powerhouse, but it turned into a demonstration of Belgian resilience and deadly attack efficiency. The statistics are telling – Roeselare scored a total of 71 points from attack against just 44 for Halkbank, a difference that ultimately tipped the scales.

Missed opportunity for the visitors in the third set

A crucial moment occurred early in the third set. Halkbank led 22:18 and seemed close to closing out the set, but a series of defensive and organizational fluctuations allowed the visitors to equalize at 24:24. Nevertheless, the hosts survived thanks to Tsvetan Sokolov – first with a decisive attack for the 25th point, and then with an ace that secured the set – 26:24.

Belgian dominance in the fourth

In the fourth set, however, there was only one team on the court – Roeselare. The Belgians built an early lead that quickly grew to 11:5, despite their own serving errors. Matey's substitution changed nothing – the visitors' block found its rhythm and stopped Leal several times, and Slivka's entry also didn't provide the desired effect. The set convincingly went to Roeselare – 25:15, and the match went into a tie-break. Thus, for yet another time in Group B, the outcome was decided in a fifth set – four matches have already reached a tie-break.

Tie-break with a Belgian signature

The decisive set started better for the visitors, but Halkbank equalized at 6:6 after another ace by Sokolov. Following a block by Baltaci, the hosts even reached the eighth point first – 8:7. From then on, however, the Belgians took control. An error and a block against Sokolov made the score 11:8 for Roeselare. Hofer scored an ace for 12:10, but then made a serving error. Another out-of-bounds serve brought the first match point for the visitors. Sokolov reduced the deficit, but a quick attack through the center followed, and Roeselare closed the match 15:12.

The numbers behind the comeback

Besides their attack dominance, the Belgians were more stable in crucial moments. Blocking also tilted the balance – 13 successful blocks for Roeselare against 14 for Halkbank, but with much greater impact in the decisive sets. Aces were even – 7 for both teams, while the Turks received more points from opponent errors (29 against 18), but couldn't compensate for their low attack efficiency.

Individual performances

Tsvetan Sokolov was the top scorer for Halkbank with 23 points, an efficiency rating of +22, 3 aces, 5 blocks, and 46% attack success rate.

Matey Kaziyski added 12 points (+5), with 1 ace and 1 block at 40% in attack. Leal finished with 13 points, but even that was not enough for victory.

However, Basil Dermaux was above all others in the match. The Belgian played a phenomenal game – 39 points, +26, 2 aces, 4 blocks, and an impressive 72% in attack, becoming the main factor for the comeback.

With their win, Knack Roeselare climbed to second place in Group B before the match between Galatasaray and Bogdanka, where Alex Grozdanov will also participate, while Halkbank is left with the bitterness of a lost match and serious questions before their next games.

photos: cev.eu