Having begun the week 15th in the standings, the Cuban men`s volleyball team secured their second consecutive victory in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2025, demonstrating resilience despite facing challenges.
One day after triumphing over Germany despite some players arriving just hours before the match, Cuba mounted a comeback after losing the first set against Serbia. They defeated the host nation 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 25-16) at the Belgrade Arena, much to the dismay of the home crowd.
With only half of their matches completed this week in Belgrade, the Cubans have already earned double the points accumulated two weeks prior in Rio de Janeiro. This performance has propelled them significantly up the VNL standings, landing them in eighth place with a record of nine points from three wins and three losses. They were ranked 15th just 48 hours earlier.
The Cuban team showcased strong dominance against Serbia in several key areas, holding a significant advantage in blocks (18 to four) and service aces (ten to three). While Serbia scored slightly fewer points from attacks (43 to 45), Cuba`s higher number of errors (29 to 24) was offset by their superiority at the net and from the service line.
Individually, opposite hitter Jose Masso was a standout performer for Cuba, leading the team with a match-high 19 points. His contribution came from a well-rounded display including 14 kills, three blocks, and two aces. Marlon Yant, the VNL 2025`s top scorer, also delivered a strong performance, contributing 18 points with 14 kills, three aces, and one block.
“We’re still tired after the traveling issues we had, but everybody is making sacrifices for the team,” Masson commented. “We’re pushing each other all the time to keep the level high, and we’ll keep fighting until the end of the week here.”
Serbia, still seeking consistency, missed their second chance to win in front of their home fans and remain at the bottom of the VNL standings with three points (one win, five losses). Their star opposite, Drazen Luburić, led the team`s scoring with 14 points, comprised of 12 kills and two aces.
“I think their experience was the difference,” Luburić said. “Most of our players are still young and are not very used to matches of this level. But they’re learning lessons from these matches. We need to keep our heads up and continue working.”
Germany Defeats the Netherlands
In another match played in Belgrade on the same day, Germany also achieved a comeback victory. They defeated the Netherlands 3-1 (24-26, 25-22, 25-21, 26-24) after losing the opening set.
Looking ahead, Friday`s schedule in Belgrade includes Argentina facing Iran in the first match at 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT). The evening match will feature the Netherlands taking on Cuba, scheduled for 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT).
Oliver Wrenwick 
Jasper Thornfield