Germany, Ukraine, Spain, and the Netherlands have secured their spots in the semifinals of the 2025 CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Finals women`s tournament, following an intense second day of competition in Espinho.
These four national teams are set to clash on Saturday at Praia da Baía. Germany will face Spain, while Ukraine will take on the Netherlands. The highly anticipated gold medal match is scheduled for Sunday.
Germany`s Anna-Lena Grüne swings during the duel against France.
Germany earned a direct entry into the semifinals by dominating Pool A. After securing victories against Lithuania and the Netherlands on Thursday, they concluded their flawless pool play by sweeping their French opponents on Friday. Sandra Ittlinger and Anna-Lena Grüne defeated Lézana Placette and Alexia Richard 2-0 (21-18, 21-4), while reigning European champions Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann showcased their dominance with a two-set (21-19, 21-16) victory over Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau.
Match Highlight: Germany vs. France
Spain, their upcoming opponents, took a more challenging path to the semifinals. They finished second in Pool B with ten points, necessitating a quarterfinal match. Spain faced France for a semifinal berth and required a decisive `golden set` to secure their win. Daniela Álvarez and Tania Moreno initially defeated Vieira and Chamereau 2-1 (21-18, 13-21, 15-13), but Sofía González and Ana Vergara lost to Placette and Richard in straight sets (21-16, 21-15). In the thrilling golden set, Álvarez and Moreno triumphed over Chamereau and Placette with a score of 15-11.
CEV Beach Nations Cup Finals – Women Overview
In Pool B, Ukraine directly advanced to the semifinals. After securing wins against Spain and Estonia on Thursday in Espinho, the Ukrainian teams left hosts Portugal with no chance. Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil decisively beat Gabriela Coelho and Mariana Maia in two sets (21-7, 21-13), while Maryna Hladun and Tetiana Lazarenko swept Vanessa Paquete and Raquel Lacerda with scores of 21-12, 21-16.
Match Highlight: Portugal vs. Ukraine
Defending champions the Netherlands secured their quarterfinal spot as the second-best team in Pool A with nine points, subsequently advancing to the semifinals. The Dutch team dominated their series against Portugal. Mila Konink and Raïsa Schoon emerged victorious over Coelho and Maia in a tie-breaker (21-10, 19-21, 15-10), and Emi van Driel and Wies Bekhuis defeated Paquete and Lacerda in straight sets (21-11, 21-9).
The Beach Nations Cup, introduced to the European beach volleyball calendar in 2022, is an exciting `country vs. country` competition, similar in format to tennis`s Davis Cup.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood