There are two players from Rana Verona who have advanced to the quarter-finals of the European Championships. These are Leandro Mosca, who got the better of North Macedonia with Italy, and Rok Mozic, victorious with his Slovenia in the match against Turkey. However, the journey of Grozdanov and Dzavoronok has come to an end, as they finished in the round of 16 of the tournament with Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
ITALY
Flawless performance for the team led by Coach Ferdinando De Giorgi, who easily overcame the North Macedonia obstacle at the Palaflorio in Bari. After a more balanced first set, the Azzurri put the match downhill in the next two sets, closing the match with a clear 3-0. Central defender Leandro Mosca did not take part in the match. The next match is scheduled for Tuesday against the Netherlands.
SLOVENIA
However, the qualification for the next round was more difficult for Mozic and his teammates, who demonstrated great ability to react after going 0-2 down against Turkey. After bringing the match to a draw, Cretu’s team prevailed in the tie-break at the end of almost two and a half hours of show. The place four class of 2002 contributed significantly to his team’s success, with a score of 19 points. Slovenia will return to the field tomorrow for the quarterfinals, where they will face Ukraine.
CZECH REPUBLIC
The Czech team ended their run in the first round of the direct elimination phase, falling 3-0 to Serbia despite a good performance. The progress of the match highlighted a substantial balance, but the greater experience of the Serbs made the difference in the decisive moments. Spiker Dzavoronok did not take the field.
BULGARIA
The progress of the Bulgarian selection in the continental competition was also interrupted in the round of 16, with reigning Olympic champion France having the upper hand in the comparison. The Balkan team held off their opponents in the first two sets, losing narrowly, before abandoning hopes of a comeback in the third. Excellent performance for central defender Aleks Grozdanov, who finished the match in double figures thanks to 10 points on the scoresheet, also totaling the highest number of winning blocks (4). Also an ace for him.
The quarter-final programme:
Monday 11 September
Slovenia – Ukraine (4.30pm, Palace of Culture and Sports, Varna)
Tuesday 12 September
Italy – Holland (9.00 pm, Palaflorio, Bari)
