2025 VNL Jul 11: China Secures Finals Spot, Czechia Upsets Türkiye

The third day of Week 3 in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) delivered exciting matches across all three pools, with key victories shaping the race for the finals and the battle to avoid relegation.

In Pool 9 in Chiba, Japan, the day began with France defeating Bulgaria 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 25-22) to claim their 4th victory of the tournament. The win helped France improve their standing, while Bulgaria’s record dropped to 3-7.

The second match in Chiba saw Brazil continue their impressive form with a 3-1 win over Poland (25-22, 25-21, 21-25, 25-22). This victory marked Brazil’s 10th of the tournament, solidifying their position near the top of the standings. Meanwhile, Poland’s record fell to 8-2, though they remain in a strong position heading into the final matches of the preliminary round.

In Pool 7 in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, Serbia opened the day with a straight-sets victory over Belgium (26-24, 25-19, 25-16). This marked Serbia’s 2nd win of the tournament, boosting their total to 11 points and moving them above Canada in the standings. Serbia now sits one win ahead of Thailand and South Korea, significantly improving their chances of avoiding relegation. Team captain Tijana Bošković was the star of the match, delivering a remarkable 26 points in just three sets.

The second match in Pool 7 featured a major upset, as Czechia defeated Türkiye 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 4-25, 25-20) to claim their 5th victory of the campaign. Türkiye, whose record now stands at 8-2, suffered a surprising loss despite delivering a historic performance in the third set, where they conceded only 4 points—the most dominant single-set win in VNL history.

In Pool 8 in Arlington, USA, the Dominican Republic swept Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-23) to secure their 5th win of the tournament. The victory bolstered the Dominican Republic’s position in the standings, while Thailand remained on one win and five points, just one point above last-placed South Korea.

The final match of the day saw China defeat Canada 3-1 (25-22, 25-15, 22-25, 25-23), earning their 7th victory of the tournament and officially securing their place in the finals in Poland. Canada, meanwhile, fell to a 2-8 record, leaving them with slim hopes of climbing higher in the standings.

Day 3 of Week 3 saw Brazil and China solidify their positions as tournament frontrunners, while Czechia’s upset of Türkiye added intrigue to the standings. Serbia’s critical win over Belgium gave them hope in their fight to avoid relegation, while the Dominican Republic continued their steady climb. With only a few matches remaining, every result is proving pivotal for both the top and bottom of the table.

(Featured image source: Volleyball World)

(Written by Boris CHUNG Bok Man)