French comeback from 0:2 to 2:2. A fierce match for third place in the European Championship
The French and Slovenian teams fought for the bronze medal at the European Championships. Before this tournament, both teams faced each other at the Wagner Memorial. At that time, the Tricolor team was better, but the Slovenians wanted to give them revenge.
The European Volleyball Championships are coming to an end. Traditionally, before the grand final, a match for third place was played between the French and Slovenian teams. The former lost to the Italians 0:3, and the Slovenians were unable to defeat the Poles. Let us remind you that both teams faced each other before the European Championship during this year’s edition of the Hubert Wagner Memorial. Then the Tricolor team won 3:1.
Match for third place European Championship: Great opening for the Slovenian team
The Slovenians entered this match better, starting with almost the same lineup as in the match against Poland – we watched Vincić during the bronze medal match. The French, in turn, decided on gentle castling. The silver medalists of last year’s European Championships took a 4-2 lead and quite surprisingly controlled the course of the match. At one point, the Slovenians took a 7-3 lead and it seemed that the Tricolor coach would soon have to intervene. This did not happen, but the French began to make up for their losses. In the end, they only managed to eliminate the advantage of their rivals. The first set ended with the score 25:22 for Slovenia.
The beginning of the second set was a bit more even, and the volleyball players of both teams went head to head until the score was 8:8. It was then that the French started making mistakes in service and attack, and the Slovenians started to have a block. At one point the scoreboard read 16:11. Andrea Giani’s players were unable to put up an equal fight and lost the set to 16.
European Championship: French comeback. The winner was decided by tie-break
To change the fate of the match, the French had to start playing more effectively in attack. From the beginning of the third set, Trójcolor took control and even led 3:6. However, this good series ended very quickly, and thanks to the effective Mozić and the great Cebulj, the opponents quickly made up for the losses and took the lead 8:7. However, their rivals’ revival came in the second part of this set. The Tricolor team took the lead 19:22 and did not give it up until the end. Andrea Giani’s team won 21:25 and gained contact with the Slovenians.
In the fourth set, the driven French took advantage of the Slovenians’ shortness of breath. From the score of 11:11, the Tricolor team gained wind in their sails and showed off a great series of points, thanks to which they won very clearly by 18. In the tie-break, Gheorghe Cretu’s players turned out to be better, winning 15:11 and the Slovenian volleyball players could enjoy the bronze medal. European Championship medal.
