On Friday, in picturesquare Zadar, Italy started their 26th EuroVolley campaign with an emphatic straight-set win over gallant Belarus. The bronze medallists of the 2019 edition guided by coach Davide Mazzanti hope to banish memories from Tokyo 2020 and reach the top again. In the next match Slovakia and Hungary clashed, two Middle European powerhouses hoping to leave a big impression at this EuroVolley.
The second match of the day in Zadar featured two co-hosts of the previous EuroVolley – Slovakia and Hungary. The teams delivered an electrifying four-set battle filled with turnarounds and great rallies won by Hungary (25-20, 25-23, 20-25, 25-18). The Hungarian team was loudly cheered by a little group of their fans. It ended up being Greta Szakmary and Anett Nemeth who shared the top scorer’s honours with 19 points.
Hungary celebrating and thanking their fans
The first match of a big tournament is difficult for everyone, but the girls fought with maximum intensity from the first ball and followed the tactical instructions, which is very important. It was good to see that they did not give up for a single moment, and as a consequence we reaped an important victory. However, this match is already part of history, since another important clash awaits us tomorrow. We also try to prepare as best we can tactically, mentally and physically as possible.
Jakub Gluszak
