Argentina began the second week of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League with a commanding performance, securing their initial victory in Pool 6 in Belgrade on Wednesday by sweeping the Netherlands.
Following two wins from four matches in the tournament`s opening week, the South Americans now boast a positive 3-2 overall record in the VNL 2025 after decisively defeating the Netherlands with a 3-0 scoreline (25-20, 25-14, 25-22) at the Belgrade Arena.
A key contributor to Argentina`s first win in Serbia was 21-year-old opposite Germán Gómez, who joined the national squad after last year`s Paris Olympics. Gómez delivered a standout performance, scoring 17 points (15 kills, one block, one ace) against the Dutch team. Outside hitter Luciano Palonsky also added 12 points, consisting of ten kills and two blocks.
Setter Matías Sánchez commented on the team`s play, stating, “I thought our offense was very good today. Our side out was very stable, and I`m very happy with the team`s performance. We did great teamwork, and we felt very comfortable on the court.”
Indeed, offensive superiority was a major factor in Argentina`s triumph, as they significantly outscored their opponents 41 to 34 in kills. Argentina also held the advantage in blocks (nine to four) and aces (four to three), while the Netherlands committed more errors (21 to 15).
For the Dutch side, middle blocker Luuc van Der Ent (eight kills, one block, one ace) and outside hitter Tom Koops (eight kills, two aces) were the only players to reach double-digit scores, both finishing with ten points.
The three points earned with this sweep propelled Argentina into a qualification spot for the Finals, as they now sit in seventh place with eight points. The Dutch, who have one victory in five matches, trail with three points and are ranked 17th in the VNL standings.
Argentina Faces Iran on Friday
Argentina is scheduled to have a rest day on Thursday before competing again on Friday against Iran. The match is set for 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT). The Netherlands will have an opportunity to recover sooner, facing Germany on Thursday at the same time, 16:30 (14:30 GMT).
Other results from Wednesday`s matches in Belgrade included Cuba`s 3-1 comeback victory over Germany (19-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-21) earlier in the day. The host nation, Serbia, was scheduled to play Iran later at 20:00 (18:00 GMT).
Jasper Thornfield