Poland’s volleyball team faced a tough start in their Olympic qualification tournament, narrowly defeating Belgium 3:2. Despite being favorites, the Polish team had a shaky performance.
At the Atlas Arena in Łódź, the Polish national women’s volleyball team secured their first Olympic qualification in 16 years. The men, following the path set by the women’s team, commenced their Olympic qualification in Xi’an, China, with a seemingly easier task ahead.
The initial moments of the match were a cautious study of both teams, with Belgium starting strong but the game gradually intensifying. Belgium made a surprising comeback to win the first set 25:23.
However, Poland faced challenges on the left wing, with Fornal and Sliwka managing just two points in the first set. They recovered as the game progressed.
Poland regained their composure in the second set, securing it with a score of 25:20, thanks to contributions from Huber and Kochanowski.
The third set saw Poland dominating, building a significant lead of seven points and eventually winning 25:16.
The fourth set was closely contested, but Belgium emerged victorious at 25:21, despite some challenging moments.
The deciding fifth set was tense, with Poland trailing initially. But they rallied, tying the score at 9:9 and eventually winning 17:15, securing the match 3:2.
In their next Olympic qualification match, Poland will take on Bulgaria on Sunday, October 1.
Poland – Belgium 3-2 (23-25; 25-20; 25-16; 21-25; 17-15)