MEVZA Teams at the penultimate day of the League Round of the Silver #EuroLeagueM

POOL A
ISRAEL – NORTH MACEDONIA 1-3 (25-16, 30-32, 29-31, 23-25)

With their backs against the wall, the bottom team Israel started out with good energy and strong serving pressure against the pool leaders, and they took the lead from the beginning of the first set. Even though from North Macedonia Aleksandar Ljaftov made a strong serve series in the middle of the set, Israel’s head start was too big, and they won the set by 25-16. 
The second set was tight from the beginning but by 20-20 the two teams followed each other closely point by point. North Macedonia manage to take the last two deciding points, ending the set with an ace. 
In the third set, North Macedonia managed to get the best start with strong serves and efficient blocks. Yet by 18-18 Israel caught up with a series of hard attacks, once again making a tight and this time dramatic race for the set win, where Nikola Gjorgiev from North Macedonia got an expulsion and was excluded for the last points of the set. Still, North Macedonia managed to finalize the set with 31-29. 
The two teams kept fighting for the points in the fourth set but in the end North Macedonia’s block/defense was working too well and the set ended 25-23.

“I am very happy with the win and of course satisfied with the result, even though we struggled today. In the first set, we were not ready and made too many mistakes. But we came back in the rest of the game and when the sets got close in the end, we managed to win all the tight duels. The difference lies in the experience of the teams, Israel had many chances to end the sets and the game, but made mistakes in the end, whereas we showed more stability in those key moments.”

Nikola Matijasevic
Head coach North Macedonia

DENMARK – CYPRUS 3–0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-13)

Denmark took the lead from the beginning of the set with a strong serve pressure – and 4 aces in the set -, unarming team Cyprus’ offense. Denmark dominated the set from start to end, and closed it at 25-11. Denmark continued their dominance in the second set, keeping Cyprus away from the net for the majority of the time. Yet when passing well, team Cyprus managed to get some good kills from their middle players and snook up on Denmark during the set, however not enough to prevent Denmark from closing the set 25-20. 
Denmark maintained their lead in the third set as well, still challenging team Cyprus’ reception with much serve pressure. In full control, Denmark closed the set – and game – 25-13 with a kill-block by #21 Mads Kyed Jensen.

With this result, Denmark cement their second place in Pool A.

POOL B
CROATIA – AUSTRIA 2–3 (17-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-10, 10-15)

Austria snatched a victory from Croatia, leader of Pool B, after a match lasting 111 minutes and 6 aces per side and 49 errors per team. The block-count was less balanced: Croatia prevailed with 16 block points against the 9 of Austria.

HUNGARY – LUXEMBOURG 3–0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-22)

Hungary takes just over an hour to win with Luxembourg making too many errors during the match compared to their opponents (error difference 23 Hungary – 38 Luxembourg).

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CEV – European Volleyball