Volleyball News
On Sunday, Hungary secured a decisive 3-0 victory (25-18, 25-20, 25-18) against Austria in their final match of the CEV Men`s European Silver League pool stage. The game, held at the Johann-Pölz-Halle in Amstetten, saw Hungary, coached by Peter Nagy, deliver a dominant performance over 91 minutes. This crucial win guaranteed Hungary the second spot in the group standings, earning them a place in the finals against the undefeated group winners, Sweden.
While the Hungarian team celebrated their important achievement, there was clear disappointment within the Austrian camp. Head coach Radovan Gacic did not mince words regarding his team`s performance.
“Our worst game in the past five years. There was no energy, no fight. This performance was simply unacceptable,” stated Gacic.
He further added, “I said before the game: we can’t label matches as important or unimportant. Every game – especially at home – matters. Even if we were already out of contention [for a spot in the finals], this must not happen.”
Hungary`s objective was clear: a 3-0 victory was needed to surpass Luxembourg and claim second place. Coach Nagy expressed satisfaction with his team`s execution of the game plan.
Austrian players also voiced their frustration after the match. Outside hitter Noel Krassnig commented, “We let it slip. We definitely gave it a try, but maybe we underestimated them – especially since we played quite well against Sweden, unlike Hungary. Today, even the simple things didn’t work.”
For Austria, Lukas Glatz was the top scorer with 11 points, followed by Michael Czerwinski with eight. Hungary`s key players were Kristóf Horváth, who scored 15 points, and Kristóf József Szalai, contributing 12 points.
In the final League Round standings, Sweden finished first with a perfect record of six wins. Hungary and Luxembourg both ended with five wins and one loss, but Hungary claimed the second position and qualification for the finals based on their superior match points ratio. Austria finished fourth among the eight participating nations with an even 3-3 record.
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Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood