“Everything worked for us for two sets, but then we had a problem, luckily in the tie-break we grabbed it with the enormous inner strength of the whole team. I didn’t want to lose a well-played match at any cost, we fought for it and as a captain I’m terribly proud of everyone,” said sweeper Michaela Mlejnková for Czech Television.
The first act really started with great gusto. Although their lead of 17:10, with the acceleration of the Ukrainian recording and greater courage of the opponents in the attack, melted into a 22:22 tie, but the Czech sweepers handled the end perfectly. Encouraged by the set win, the national team could play more calmly.
He did well. During Valková’s service, she managed to get six balls in a row and run away in the score to a very promising 21:16. When denying a point to the Czech team after an obvious Ukrainian run, even coach Athanasopoulos’s unsuccessful video appeal did not dispel the feeling of grievance. The lead was getting thinner, the opponents saved one set point. But the second national team had already changed and was on the right track.
Photo: Virginia Mayo, CTK/AP
Czech volleyball players during the match with Ukraine at the EC.
However, Ukraine pressed a lot with service after the break in the third set. The Czechs kept an excellent block in the game for a long time. When their attack lacked punch, it was the fascinating defense in the field that saved hope at certain moments. But it was not salvation. On the side of the opponents, Milenková dominated and the Greek coach in the Czech service tried in vain to prevent the loss of the set with an unfavorable score of 16:22.
The action on the scoreboard changed completely, the national team’s defense collapsed and they fell into an absolute depression. The Ukrainians performed ten successful balls in a row, and at 6:17, the extremely timid Czech team was already mentally down, despite the drastic changes in the lineup. The hopelessness and total loss of self-confidence were reminiscent of the opening debacle with Azerbaijan, the round of 16 duel unstoppably reached a tie-break after two hours.
In it, all the supports returned to the Czech side of the net, which were given space to rest and settle their thoughts on the bench. The Ukrainians played the fifth act better, leading 3:1, and it seemed that they already had the direction of the match firmly in their hands. However, the Czech flag was raised by captain Mlejnková, overflowing with found courage, and took the end of the attack on herself, and suddenly the lead was 9:5. But unforced errors by their teammates came and the lead began to thin. Ukraine resisted, averted three match points, until Havelková converted the fourth and there was an eruption of Czech joy.
In the quarter-finals, the Netherlands – Bulgaria and Italy – France will meet on Tuesday in Florence, and the Czech Republic – Serbia and Turkey – Poland on Wednesday in Brussels. The semi-finals are on the program in the Belgian capital on Friday, and the medal matches are played there on Sunday.
Round of 16 European Women’s Volleyball Championship in Brussels: Czech Republic – Ukraine 3:2 (22, 22, -20, -10, 12) Referees: Lopes Pinto (Portugal), Cesare (It.). Time: 138 min. Spectators: 361. Team and points Czech Republic: Havelková 19, Pavlová 3, Orvošová 20, Mlejnková 21, Koulisiani 5, Valková 3, libera Digrinová/Dostálová – Hodanová 3, Brancuská 2, Pelikánová, Jedličková 1, Bukovská. Coach Athanasopulos. Most points of Ukraine: Krajduba 26, Milenkova 17, Dorsmanova 10.