Italy brought their best game to the tie-breaker after being upset by Ukraine in the third and fourth sets.
World champions Italy narrowly avoided an upset against Volleyball Nations League newcomers Ukraine during the second day of the third week of the tournament`s Preliminary Phase. The dramatic encounter in Ljubljana on Thursday saw Ukraine push the reigning world champions to their limits.
At the Arena Stožice, Italy initially took a commanding lead by winning the first two sets. However, the resilient Ukrainian team mounted an impressive comeback, forcing the match into a decisive fifth set. Ultimately, Italy regained control, sealing a hard-fought 3-2 victory (25-15, 25-20, 16-25, 23-25, 15-10) in the Slovenian capital.
Outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto was a standout performer for Italy, scoring 14 points in the initial two sets and finishing with a match-high 20 points, comprising 15 kills, three blocks, and two aces. Michieletto commented on the challenging nature of the match: “It was a very tough match and Ukraine played very well. They improved a lot after the second set and got us in some difficult situations, but in the VNL, the most important thing is to win, and we’re happy that we did it. Every team here is very strong, and we always need to play at our 100% to win.”
Italy`s victory highlighted their squad depth, with ten of their fourteen players contributing to the scoreboard. Captain Simone Giannelli notably added six points (one kill, three blocks, two aces) from his setter position, while 21-year-old opposite Alessandro Bovolenta chipped in seven points, four of which were crucial in the tie-breaker, making him the most effective player in the decisive fifth set.
For Ukraine, outside hitter Dmytro Yanchuk was the overall top scorer of the match with 25 points (21 kills, four aces), and opposite Vasyl Tupchii contributed 16 points (13 kills, three blocks), both playing pivotal roles in their team`s spirited rally.
Following this match, Italy now holds the second position in the VNL 2025 standings with eight wins and 22 points. Ukraine currently sits in sixth place with six victories and 18 points.
Later on Thursday in Ljubljana, the Netherlands and Slovenia were scheduled to play the second match of the day.
Asian Derby: Iran Triumphs Over China
In Gdańsk, the day commenced with the Asian Derby, where Iran secured a comfortable 3-0 (28-26, 25-21, 25-16) victory against China at the Ergo Arena.
This win significantly boosted Iran`s standing, moving them into the qualification zone for the VNL Finals. They now occupy seventh place with five victories and 16 points. Despite their two wins and seven points, China, as the host country, is guaranteed a spot in the Finals.
Iran`s offense was spearheaded by outside hitters Morteza Sharifi, who tallied 15 points, and Amirhossein Esfandiar, who added 12. Star opposite Amin Esmaeilnezhad also reached double digits with ten points. Esfandiar emphasized the match`s importance: “This match was very important for us. Before the match, our coach told us that we had three finals to play because we want to qualify for the Finals. We won the first one, now there are two more to come and we’ll use the day off tomorrow to prepare for them.”
For China, team captain and opposite Jiang Chuan led their scoring with 11 points, followed by middle blocker Li Yongzhen with ten points.
The second and final match of the day in Gdańsk was scheduled between Poland and Cuba.
Jasper Thornfield