Czech Republic Volleyball Team Stages Comeback to Defeat Ukraine in European Championship
In a thrilling match at the European Championship, the Czech Republic women’s volleyball team staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Ukraine in the round of 16. After losing the previous four round of 16 matches, the Czech team started the game strong, taking an early lead in the first set with excellent defense and solid attacks. Despite a brief setback when Ukraine equalized at 22-22, the Czech team regained their composure and secured the set.
The second set saw the Czech team maintain their momentum, extending their lead to 21-16. However, a controversial challenge decision affected the outcome of the set, as the referees ruled that Gabriela Orvoova’s attack had gone out of bounds. Despite this setback, the Czech team managed to win the set 25-22. “Everything was working for us in the first two sets, and the Ukrainians didn’t seem to be in their element,” said Czech television commentator Mlejnkova.
In the following sets, the Ukrainian team fought back fiercely, capitalizing on the Czech team’s errors and taking control of the match. The Czech players struggled to find their rhythm, losing the third set 20-25 and suffering a devastating defeat in the fourth set with a score of 10-25. Similar to their previous round of 16 match against Serbia in the 2021 European Championship, the Czech team’s game fell apart, with only an 18% success rate in attacks.
Trailing 6-14 in the fifth set, Czech coach Athanasopulos made substitutions to try and turn the tide. “We were losing our heads and doubting ourselves. We decided to let the starting lineup rest and reset their minds before the fifth set,” said the coach in a post-match interview.
The fifth set began with Ukraine taking an early lead, capitalizing on the Czech team’s mistakes to go up 3-1. However, Czech captain Mlejnkova stepped up her game and led her team to a comeback. She made crucial plays and contributed significantly to the team’s 10-5 lead. “I told myself that I never want to lose when leading 2-0. I was determined to win at all costs,” said Mlejnkova. In 2013 and 2017, the Czech team lost leads of 2-0 in the round of 16 matches against France and Belarus in the European Championship.
Although the other Czech players struggled, they managed to contribute essential points, ultimately securing a victory. Mebol’s powerful attack sealed the win for the Czech team. “I am incredibly happy, and I think all of us are, that we managed to turn around a strong Ukrainian team that displayed excellent volleyball in the third and fourth sets. They put a lot of pressure on us, and that makes this victory even more valuable,” praised Mlejnkova.
Ukrainian player Diana Meljukynov attempts to block a Czech attack.
Coach Athanasopulos struggled to find words to describe his happiness after the match. “I still can’t believe it. It is one of the biggest successes since we arrived here. I am very happy with how the match unfolded. It is a very valuable victory against a tough opponent,” he said.
Next, the Czech team will face favorites Serbia in the quarterfinals. “The most important thing is not to be intimidated by their stars. They have experienced players who compete in the top leagues worldwide. I would tell our team and our young players to go out there and fight, just like they did today,” said Havelkova, the most experienced player on the team. “The match will be interesting. Serbia is the favorite, but we have nothing to lose, and that suits us,” added Mlejnkova.
European Women’s Volleyball Championship
Round of 16 in Brussels
Czech Republic – Ukraine 3:2 (22, 22, -20, -10, 12)
Referees: Lopes Pinto (Portugal), Cesare (Italy). Duration: 138 minutes. Attendance: 361.
Czech Republic lineup and points: Havelkova 19, Pavlov 3, Orvoova 20, Mlejnkova 21, Koulisiani 5, Valkova 3, libero Digrinova/Dostlova – Hodanova 3, Brancuskova 2, Peliknova, Jedlikova 1, Bukovska. Coach Athanasopulos.
Top scorers for Ukraine: Krajdubaova 26, Milenkova 17, Dorsmanova 10.
Serbia – Sweden 3:0 (17, 13, 16)Czech Volleyball Team Defeats Ukraine in European Championship
The Czech women’s volleyball team secured a thrilling victory against Ukraine in the round of 16 at the European Championship. After losing the previous four round of 16 matches, the Czech team finally broke the curse and advanced to the quarterfinals.
The Czech team started the match strongly, taking an early lead in the first set with solid defense and a strong attack. Despite a brief setback when Ukraine equalized at 22-22, the Czech team regained their composure and won the set. In the second set, the Czech team continued their dominance, leading by five points at one stage. However, a controversial challenge decision affected the outcome of the set, with the referees ruling against the Czech team. Nevertheless, they managed to secure a 2-0 lead.
In the third set, the Ukrainian team fought back and took control of the match. The Czech team struggled to find their rhythm and suffered a defeat, losing the set 20-25. The fourth set was even more disastrous for the Czech team, as they suffered a heavy defeat with a score of 10-25. Their attack was ineffective, with only an 18% success rate.
With a score of 6-14 in the fifth set, the Czech coach decided to make substitutions to change the team’s momentum. The decision paid off, as the Czech team started to regain their focus and turned the tide in their favor. Captain Helena Mlejnková played a crucial role in leading the team to victory, contributing significantly to the 15-12 win in the final set.
Coach Jannis Athanasopulos expressed his happiness and described the victory as one of the team’s greatest successes. He praised the team’s performance against a tough opponent and emphasized the importance of not being intimidated by the upcoming match against Serbia, the tournament favorites.
The Czech team will now face Serbia in the quarterfinals. Despite being the underdogs, the Czech players are determined to give their best and fight for another upset. The experienced players in the team, such as Helena Mlejnková, will play a crucial role in guiding the younger players and maintaining a competitive spirit.
The victory against Ukraine has boosted the team’s confidence, and they believe they have nothing to lose against Serbia. The match promises to be an exciting encounter, with the Czech team aiming to continue their impressive run in the tournament.
In the other round of 16 match, Serbia defeated Sweden in straight sets, setting up an intriguing quarterfinal clash with the Czech Republic.
The European Championship for women’s volleyball continues to provide thrilling matches and surprises, with the Czech team proving that they are a force to be reckoned with.
How did the Czech team capitalize on the errors of the Czech team and win the set?
The match, capitalizing on the Czech team’s errors and winning the set. The fourth set was even more disastrous for the Czech team, as they suffered a devastating defeat with a score of 10-25. The Czech players struggled to find their rhythm, and their game fell apart.
Trailing 6-14 in the fifth set, Czech coach Athanasopulos made substitutions in an attempt to turn the tide. The team was losing their heads and doubting themselves, so the coach decided to let the starting lineup rest and reset their minds before the fifth set.
The fifth set began with Ukraine taking an early lead, but Czech captain Mlejnkova stepped up her game and led her team to a comeback. She made crucial plays and contributed significantly to the team’s lead. Ultimately, the Czech team managed to secure a victory, with Mebol’s powerful attack sealing the win.
Coach Athanasopulos expressed his happiness and praised the team for their valuable victory against a tough opponent. Next, the Czech team will face favorites Serbia in the quarterfinals. The team is focused on not being intimidated and plans to fight just like they did in the match against Ukraine.
Overall, it was an exciting and thrilling match for the Czech Republic women’s volleyball team. They staged a remarkable comeback after a series of disappointing round of 16 matches and secured a well-deserved victory.
