In a significant upset on Wednesday, Slovenia defeated previously unbeaten Czechia 3-2 (25-22, 25-23, 21-25, 22-25, 15-13) in a dramatic five-set battle in Pool II of the CEV U16 Volleyball European Championship 2025 in Prishtina. This was one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far. Elsewhere, Greece, Montenegro, and Croatia also secured victories, intensifying the race for semifinal spots. Despite the loss, Czechia remains at the top of Pool II, followed by Türkiye and Greece.
Entering the match, Czechia boasted a perfect 5-0 record, while Slovenia had won only one of their five games. However, Slovenia showed no fear, playing with precision and aggression from the start. They capitalized on uncharacteristic errors from the Czech squad to win the first two sets 25-22 and 25-23.
Facing their first real challenge, Czechia fought back, taking the third set 25-21 and the fourth 25-22 to force a decisive fifth set. The momentum seemed to be shifting, but Slovenia held their composure. In a tense and emotional tie-breaker, Slovenia seized their opportunity, clinching the set 15-13 to hand Czechia their first loss and improve their own record to 2-4. Czechia now stands at 5-1.
Montenegro delivered a stunning 3-2 victory over Türkiye (34-32, 12-25, 28-26, 23-25, 15-13) in one of the most dramatic matches of Pool II. This intense battle featured significant momentum swings, but Montenegro ultimately prevailed in a nerve-wracking fifth set, securing their third win and shaking up the standings with one round of group matches remaining.
Türkiye had a chance to overtake Czechia at the top of the table after Slovenia`s win, but despite moments of brilliance and a dominant second set, they failed to close out key moments, particularly in the incredibly long first set (34-32) and the tight third set (28-26). Türkiye won the second (25-12) and fourth (25-23) sets to push the match to a decider, but Montenegro again showed grit to win the fifth 15-13. Türkiye drops to 4-2, and their semifinal qualification now depends on winning their final match against Kosovo and potentially the outcome of the Greece vs Hungary clash. Montenegro, now 3-3, is also on the edge of semifinal contention.
Greece delivered one of their most complete performances, defeating Hungary in straight sets (25-16, 30-28, 25-13) in a crucial Pool II encounter. With both teams vying for semifinal spots, the stakes were high, and Greece rose to the occasion. They dominated the first set 25-16 with strong defense and smart attacking. The second set was a hard-fought battle, but Greece held firm under pressure to win the extended set 30-28, gaining full momentum. In the third set, Greece overwhelmed Hungary with pace and precision, taking it 25-13 to seal a vital straight-sets win that keeps them firmly in the race for a top-four finish. Greece improves to 4-2, while Hungary drops to 3-3.
Croatia kept their semifinal hopes alive with a dominant 3-0 victory over host nation Kosovo (25-15, 25-15, 25-9). Needing a win, Croatia played with focus and urgency, taking control early with strong serving and clean attacking in the first set (25-15). The second set followed a similar pattern (25-15), with Kosovo struggling to match Croatia`s consistency. Croatia finished the sweep quickly in the third set (25-9), showcasing their depth. Croatia is now 3-3, joining the crowded race for the semi-final spots. Kosovo is still seeking their first win in their historic European Championship debut.
All eyes now turn to Thursday’s decisive matches, which will determine the final standings of Pool II and the two teams that will advance to the semifinals and medal matches in Tirana.
