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. The second day of competition, held on Friday in Espinho, determined these four contenders for the prestigious title.
The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at Praia da Baía, setting the stage for exciting matchups: Germany will face Spain, while Ukraine will battle the Netherlands. The highly anticipated championship match for the gold medal is slated for Sunday.
Germany`s Dominant Performance
Germany advanced directly to the semifinals by finishing atop Pool A with an impressive performance. Following their victories over Lithuania and the Netherlands on Thursday, they concluded their flawless pool play campaign with decisive wins against French teams on Friday. Sandra Ittlinger and Anna-Lena Grüne expertly defeated Lézana Placette and Alexia Richard 2-0 (21-18, 21-4), while reigning European champions Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann secured a comprehensive 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) victory over Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau.
Germany`s Anna-Lena Grüne swings during the duel against France.
Spain`s Quarterfinal Thriller and Golden Set Victory
Spain, having finished second in Pool B with ten points, took a more challenging route to the semifinals via the quarterfinals. They overcame France in a thrilling quarterfinal match that went down to a golden set. Daniela Álvarez and Tania Moreno initially defeated Vieira and Chamereau 2-1 (21-18, 13-21, 15-13), but Sofía González and Ana Vergara then fell to Placette and Richard in straight sets (21-16, 21-15). In the decisive golden set, Álvarez and Moreno showcased their prowess, sealing their semifinal berth with a 15-11 victory over Chamereau and Placette.
Ukraine`s Unstoppable Progress
In Pool B, Ukraine secured a direct semifinal spot through their impressive performance. After defeating Spain and Estonia on Thursday in Espinho, the Ukrainian teams continued their dominant form against hosts Portugal. Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil decisively beat Gabriela Coelho and Mariana Maia in two sets (21-7, 21-13), and Maryna Hladun and Tetiana Lazarenko swept Vanessa Paquete and Raquel Lacerda 2-0 (21-12, 21-16).
Netherlands Enter Semifinals as Defending Champions
Defending champions the Netherlands qualified for the quarterfinals as the second-ranked team in Pool A with nine points, subsequently earning their semifinal berth. The Dutch showcased their strength by dominating their quarterfinal series against Portugal. Mila Konink and Raïsa Schoon triumphed over Coelho and Maia in a tie-breaker (21-10, 19-21, 15-10), while Emi van Driel and Wies Bekhuis secured a straight-sets victory (21-11, 21-9) over Paquete and Lacerda.
The Beach Nations Cup, introduced in the European beach volleyball calendar in 2022, is a dynamic `country vs country` competition that resembles the Davis Cup in tennis, adding an exciting team element to the sport.
