On Wednesday in Tashkent, both Poland and Bulgaria navigated grueling five-set encounters, securing their places in the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship. These intense Round of 16 clashes at the Yunnusobod Hall and Sport University Center saw six European and two Asian nations emerge victorious, setting the stage for the next knockout phase in the Uzbek capital.
Bulgaria endured a fierce contest against the United States, ultimately prevailing 3-2 (25-22, 25-23, 20-25, 14-25, 16-14). After clinching the initial two sets, the European squad briefly faltered before regaining their composure in the decisive fifth set. Zhasmin Velichkov played a pivotal role, delivering a calm and effective performance to seal the victory. Velichkov commented on their resolve: “We battled until the very end. Our unwavering belief in victory fueled us throughout. To succeed against Spain, we must play as a unified team, as our collective strength is our greatest asset.”
Following suit, Poland engaged in their own marathon five-set match, narrowly defeating Pakistan 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-21, 18-16) in what became the day`s longest fixture. Maksymilian Lyson was the top scorer with 26 points, including the crucial final point in the extended tiebreak. Lyson articulated the team`s philosophy: “We are committed to fighting relentlessly. Even if we face defeat, it`s acceptable as long as we compete with intent to win. Without that fighting spirit, we wouldn`t be content. This is our mindset. We must concentrate on every single ball, whether it`s the first or the last two in a tiebreak. We must trust in our capabilities.”
Spain became the first team to guarantee a quarterfinal spot, overcoming Argentina with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 27-25) sweep in a tightly contested affair. Cesar Irache led his team with an impressive 26 points, while Mario Garcia Dominguez contributed 13. Reflecting on their strategy, Garcia Dominguez stated: “It was an exceptionally tough match because Argentina is a formidable opponent, but securing the win was paramount. We know Cesar is consistently there for us, scoring many points, but Argentina is also aware of this, so we focused more on our outside hitters. Participating in a World Championship has been an incredibly valuable experience, and we are performing exceptionally well.”
Korea also secured their place among the top eight by sweeping China 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22). Lee Jungho contributed 17 points and emphasized the critical importance of consistency for the upcoming stages. Lee remarked: “Initially, we`ll analyze Poland and Pakistan, but when we play, our aim is to minimize unforced errors and rely on strong teamwork, solid reception, and robust defense to win. While powerful attacks are a future consideration, our immediate priority is excellent reception and setting. We have immense trust in each other, and our ultimate objective is a decisive victory.”
France continued their strong title defense with a decisive 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-21) victory over Brazil. Andrej Jokanovic and Noa Dufflos Rossi combined for a significant 31 points, spearheading the French offense and keeping their championship aspirations alive.
Iran maintained their impressive form, securing a 3-1 (25-19, 17-25, 25-19, 25-20) win against Belgium. Mohammad Amin Rahimi tallied 14 points and dedicated the hard-fought victory to his injured teammate, Mahan Barkzar. Rahimi shared: “I am truly delighted with this match. We will persist together, then rest and concentrate on Finland. After that, we are ready to face any adversary and continue to play our best throughout the tournament. In our opening match, we sadly lost a player to injury. He is a skilled player and a vital member of our squad. Since then, we`ve been fighting for him. This victory is for Mahan.”
Italy smoothly advanced by defeating host nation Uzbekistan 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-14). Andrea Giani led the scoring with 13 points, supported by Manuel Zlatanov`s nine points, as the Italian team asserted control across all aspects of the game.
Finland completed the quarterfinal lineup with a 3-0 (25-22, 27-25, 25-21) win against Japan. Viktor Viljamaa spearheaded the team`s attack with 19 points, extending Finland`s undefeated streak in Tashkent.
In the classification matches for 17th to 24th place, Türkiye mounted a comeback to defeat Tunisia in five sets, triumphing 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 15-12). Mehmet Ege Biber and Ata Ünver were key performers, scoring 24 and 21 points respectively. Puerto Rico achieved their first tournament victory, sweeping Egypt 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-15), powered by Gustavo Antonio Alvarez Acosta’s 19 points and Jean Paul Gonzalez Vazquez’s 14. Cuba also secured their inaugural win, overcoming Algeria 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-12), with Alessandro Gonzalez Fuentes contributing 17 attack points. In the day`s final playoff match, Colombia edged out Canada 3-1 (17-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-22). Maicol Isaac Ortiz Castañeda led Colombia with 20 points, countering Canada`s Tyson Dezutter (22 points) and Ethan Baraniuk (19 points).
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick