Finland`s path to the Round of 16 now depends on the Argentina-France match, though they are in a strong position, advancing with five out of six possible outcomes.
Finnish blockers defending against Korea`s Jeong Hanyong.
Finland made a significant move towards securing a spot in the 2025 FIVB Men`s Volleyball World Championship Round of 16 on Thursday. This marks their second triumph in the tournament, currently hosted in the Philippines.
Playing against an already eliminated Korean squad in the opening match at Quezon City`s Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Finnish team needed a clean sweep to guarantee their progression from Pool C. While they didn`t achieve a straight-sets win, they still emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline (25-18, 25-23, 17-25, 25-21).
This win temporarily places Finland at the top of Pool C, boasting two victories, six points, and a set record of eight won against six lost. Their fate for the Round of 16 now hinges on the subsequent match between Argentina (two wins, five points, six sets won, three lost) and France (one win, four points, five sets won, three lost). Finland will advance unless France wins in a tie-breaker. Should France win in a tie-breaker, Finland and Argentina would be level on wins, points, and sets won/lost, necessitating a point ratio tie-breaker to determine who advances.
Luka Marttila and Joonas Jokela were instrumental in Finland`s success against Korea. Marttila, an outside hitter, led all scorers with 25 points, comprising 22 kills and three blocks. Opposite hitter Jokela contributed significantly with 21 points, including 17 kills, two aces, and two blocks.
Team captain and outside hitter Antti Ronkainen commented on the win, stating, “This is a tremendous victory for us. While our advancement isn`t fully confirmed yet, securing two wins out of three in such a challenging pool is a significant accomplishment. Korea made some lineup changes today, which kept us on our toes, but we managed to regain our strength and clinch the fourth set.”
For Korea, opposite hitter Shin Hojin was their top performer, accumulating 24 points from 22 kills, one block, and one ace. Outside hitter Jeong Hanyong also made a strong contribution with 16 points, including 13 kills, two blocks, and one ace.
Finland`s superior offensive execution was a crucial factor in their victory, as they surpassed Korea in kills 62 to 54. The European side also held a slight advantage in blocks (ten to nine) but conceded more aces (five to four) and opponent errors (19 to 16) to the Asian team.
The pivotal match between France and Argentina, which will determine Finland`s fate, is scheduled for 18:00 local time (10:00 GMT) in Quezon City.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick