Turkey secured a crucial victory in their fight to avoid relegation in the men`s Volleyball Nations League. In Thursday`s opening match in Chiba, they defeated Germany 3-1, improving their record to 3 wins and 7 losses (9 points). This win moved them up to 15th place in the VNL standings, two victories clear of the Netherlands and Serbia. Meanwhile, Germany`s chances of reaching the Finals diminished, as they now sit in 11th place with a 4-6 record and 15 points.
Key Performances
Outside hitter Efe Mandiraci was the top scorer of the match, contributing a game-high 25 points to Turkey`s 3-1 (29-27, 25-22, 18-25, 30-28) victory. He sealed the win with the decisive point on the team`s sixth match point in the fourth set. The 23-year-old rising star achieved an impressive 59% attack success rate and served three aces. Opposite Adis Lagumdzija added 23 points, including two aces and a kill block, while outside hitter Mirza Lagumdzija also performed exceptionally, finishing with 12 points, showcasing a 71% attack success rate and two kill blocks.
“First, I`d like to congratulate Germany as well. This was a significant victory for us. I believe we played exceptionally well, and I am very happy,” Mandiraci stated. “I am delighted that our hard work is yielding results. This is very reassuring. Playing as a cohesive team is what we`ve aimed for from the start, so we are thrilled to have achieved this objective.”
On the German side, four players scored in double digits. Opposite Filip John achieved a 69% attack success rate, along with two serving points and one block, totaling a match-high 25 points. Outside hitters Erik Rohrs and Tobias Brand contributed 18 and 13 points, respectively, while middle blocker Florian Krage recorded three blocks and an ace to reach a total of 10 points.
Upcoming Matches
Up next in Chiba, Argentina will face host nation Japan at 19:20 local time (10:20 UTC). Following this, Thursday`s VNL action will continue in Gdansk and Ljubljana.
Jasper Thornfield