The preliminary phase of the Men`s Volleyball World Championship in the Philippines saw its fourth day of competition conclude, with Monday`s matches unfolding across Pools B, D, E, and G. European teams delivered strong performances, securing crucial victories and advancing in the tournament.
Pool B Highlights
Netherlands 3-0 Romania (25-23, 26-24, 26-24)
Credit: Volleyball World
In Pool B, the Netherlands clinched their second victory of the 2025 Men`s World Championship in the Philippines, sweeping Romania 3-0 in Quezon City. This win propelled the Dutch team to the top of their group with six points, while Romania remains at the bottom, still searching for their first set win.
- Michiel Ahyi led the Dutch offense with an impressive 19 points, including five aces.
- Tom Koops contributed significantly with 13 points, featuring a kill block and a 60% attack success rate.
- Both the Netherlands and Romania registered nine kill blocks. However, the Netherlands minimized their unforced errors, committing 21 compared to Romania`s 24.
- The Dutch also excelled in serving, delivering 10 aces against Romania`s 4.
- For Romania, Bela Bartha stood out with 14 points (five kill blocks, one ace) and an impressive 80% attack efficiency. Rares Balean added 12 points.
Poland 3-0 Qatar (25-21, 25-14, 25-19)
Credit: Volleyball World
Poland`s decisive 3-0 triumph over Qatar on Monday sealed the preliminary round outcomes for all teams in Pool B. With this victory, following their earlier win against Romania, top-ranked Poland and the Netherlands both amassed six points from their first two matches, securing their spots in the Round of 16. Qatar and Romania, having yet to claim a match victory, have been eliminated from the competition.
- Poland rotated their lineup, with outside hitter Kamil Semeniuk leading with 13 points (11 kills, 2 aces).
- Middle blocker Jakub Kochanowski and opposite Kewin Sasak each added eight points.
- For Qatar, playing only their second World Championship, Pape Diagne and outside hitter Nikola Vasić both collected eight points.
- Statistically, Poland surpassed Qatar in kills (37 vs. 34), blocks (8 vs. 3), and aces (4 vs. 2), while committing significantly fewer errors (15 vs. 26 by opponents).
Pool D Overview
Cuba 3-0 Colombia (25-22, 25-21, 25-20)
USA 3-0 Portugal (25-19, 25-22, 25-17)
Credit: Volleyball World
The United States secured their place in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Men’s World Championship by sweeping Portugal 3-0 in their second Pool D match. With six points and no dropped sets, the USA became the first team from Pool D to qualify for the elimination stage. While Portugal and Cuba can still match the USA in wins, they cannot surpass them due to the USA’s superior set ratio.
- Gabriel Garcia and Jordan Ewert each scored 12 points for the USA. Ewert contributed eight kills, two blocks, and two aces, while Garcia tallied eleven kills and one block.
- Ethan Champlin added 10 points (eight kills, two aces).
- Portugal`s Lourenço Martins led his team with 12 points (10 kills, one block, one ace), with José Pinto adding 9 points exclusively from kills.
- The USA outperformed Portugal in kills (40-36), blocks (8-5), and committed significantly fewer errors (13 vs. 23 for Portugal). Both teams recorded 4 aces.
Pool E Dynamics
Germany 3-0 Chile (25-17, 25-23, 25-21)
Bulgaria 3-2 Slovenia (19-25, 14-25, 25-18, 25-23, 13-15)
Credit: Volleyball World
In a thrilling five-set encounter, 12th-ranked Bulgaria triumphed over 6th-ranked Slovenia, securing their spot in the knockout stage (eighthfinals) of the 2025 Men’s World Championship in Pasay City. This second victory for Bulgaria in Pool E ensures they finish among the top two, while Slovenia`s first loss means they will contend with Germany for the remaining qualifying berth. Chile, in fourth place, has been eliminated.
Bulgaria claimed the match 3-2 with set scores of 25-19, 25-14, 18-25, 23-25, 15-13.
Standout Performances for Bulgaria:
- Aleksandar Nikolov: Led with a remarkable 26 points, including two aces and a block, ultimately scoring the decisive point.
- Asparuh Asparuhov: Added 17 points, with two aces, two blocks, and a 62% attack success rate.
- Iliya Petkov: Contributed 11 points (five kill blocks, five spike kills, one ace) with an impressive 71% efficiency.
- Young setter Simeon Nikolov (18): Registered four aces, six kills, and a 55% attack rate, showcasing his potential.
For Slovenia:
- Toncek Stern: Scored 20 points, including two blocks.
- Nik Mujanovic: Had 16 points.
- Ziga Stern: Added 13 points, with two aces.
Bulgaria also had a statistical edge over Slovenia in kill blocks (13-9), spike kills (56-52), and service aces (11-4).
Pool G Updates
Japan 0-3 Canada (20-25, 23-25, 22-25)
Türkiye 3-1 Libya (25-18, 23-25, 25-14, 25-16)
Credit: Volleyball World
Türkiye now holds six points from two matches. Their spot in the Round of 16 will be confirmed if Japan fails to secure all three points from Canada in their upcoming Pool G match. Libya, with zero points, retains only a slim chance of advancing, which would require Japan to defeat Canada 3-0 or 3-1.
Key Player Statistics for Türkiye:
- Bedirhan Bülbül: 16 points (11 kills, 3 aces, 2 blocks).
- Efe Mandıracı: 16 points (11 kills, 4 aces, 1 block).
- Adis Lagumdžija: 15 points.
- Gökçen Yüksel: 13 points.
For Libya:
- Ahmed Ikhbayri was the top scorer with 19 points (16 kills, 3 blocks).
Overall Match Statistics:
- Kills: Türkiye 52 vs Libya 38
- Aces: Türkiye 12 vs Libya 1
- Blocks: Both teams recorded 9 each
- Total Errors (combined): 23
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Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood