Poland, the top-ranked team in the FIVB World Rankings, narrowly avoided dropping their first set at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men`s World Championship. After a tense start, the Polish squad rallied to secure a decisive 3-0 victory over Romania, concluding Saturday`s matches in the Philippines.
Match Details
Competing at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the European powerhouses endured an intensely competitive opening set. However, they soon found their rhythm, ultimately winning the match 3-0 (34-32, 25-15, 25-19). This impressive win marks Poland`s strong first step in their campaign for a potential fourth world title.
Standings and Key Players
The clean sweep earned Poland three crucial points, placing them at the top of Pool B standings. They currently lead continental rivals the Netherlands, who also secured three points by defeating Qatar 3-1 (25-18, 25-23, 26-28, 25-23), but with a slightly lower set ratio. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the elimination rounds.
Captain Bartosz Kurek, making a significant return to the national team after missing the Volleyball Nations League, made a substantial impact. The star opposite hitter contributed 13 points (ten kills, two blocks, one ace). Outside hitters Wilfredo León and Tomasz Fornal also delivered strong performances in Poland`s debut, scoring 14 points (11 kills, two aces, one block) and 10 points (six kills, three blocks, one ace) respectively.
Player Reactions
“It`s great to be back,” Kurek commented. “My time off this season wasn`t entirely planned, and I had to push hard to regain my form to join the team here. It`s a long tournament, and we aim to be here until the very end. We try not to come in with specific expectations, as those can hinder performance. We just need to step onto the court and treat every match like a final, and hopefully, we`ll reach the real final.”
For Romania, Adrian Aciobăniței was the most effective player, achieving a team-high 11 points (nine kills, one block, one ace). Fellow outside hitter Mircea Peța added nine points (eight kills, one block).
“It was a challenging match for us, but I`m proud of the team and the staff,” Aciobăniței remarked. “We gave our utmost, and I`m pleased with our performance. The first set was incredibly close, and unfortunately, we couldn`t clinch it. However, we`ve learned that we need to be more precise and patient in such critical moments.”
Match Statistics
Statistically, Poland outperformed Romania in kills (40 to 36), blocks (nine to three), and aces (six to two). They also committed fewer errors, with 25 compared to Romania`s 29.
Upcoming Matches
The four teams in Pool B will resume play on Monday, September 15, 2025. The Netherlands will face Romania at 18:00 local time (10:00 GMT), followed by Poland against Qatar at 21:30 (13:30 GMT).
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick