Polish volleyball players win to nil! A great start to the Nations League finals
After an intercontinental phase in which he tested various setups and rested some players, coach Nikola Grbić chose his strongest lineup in China from the start. It became clear that the Poles would want to show their best against Japan.
Nations League: Poland beats Japan. Advances to the semifinals!The strongest lineup, or what? Marcin Komenda at center, Jakub Nowak and Jakub Kochanowski in the middle, Wilfredo Leon and Tomasz Fornal in the receiving lane, Kewin Sasak in attack, and Jakub Popiwczak at libero.
It was clear that the Poles would have to be prepared for long rallies against Japan, with the Asians trying to find a way to defeat their taller opponents through patience and defensive play (covering, blocking, and repeating). As it turned out, however, nothing came of it – from the perspective of the opponents of coach Grbić's team.
However, the Poles had to work hard to win the first two sets. In the opening set, Poland only took the lead at... 21-20. And that was thanks to a service ace from Kewin Sasak, who showed excellent form during Thursday's quarterfinal. Interestingly, the attacker also had a very successful opening tournament of the VNL 2025 season, when – of course – the Poles also showcased their form on Chinese soil. Who knows, maybe China is having a positive impact on the Bogdanka LUK Lublin volleyball player.
In any case, the Poles ultimately won both the first set, 25-23, and the second set, which ended in a power play. The second set, however, was a slightly different story, as the Poles led 23-21 before the set finally went a bit haywire, ending the set at 26-24. It's also worth noting that Kamil Semeniuk was brought on to the court. He replaced Leon, and it was a very good substitution for the 2024/25 Champions League winner with Italian side Perugia.
The final set, as it turned out, was a knockout for the Olympic runners-up. Sasak deserves applause in particular, but so does Tomasz Fornal, who engaged in small games with his opponents at the net, in true style. The former PlusLiga star, who will play in Turkey next season, looked deep into the eyes of his opponents, especially after effective blocks.
The Poles won 3-0 and will play the Brazilians in the semifinals on Saturday (August 2nd). The latter won the intercontinental portion of the VNL 2025. But the Poles are certainly not out of contention. The match is scheduled for 1:00 PM Polish time.
In the other semifinal, Italy will face Slovenia. The latter pulled off a huge surprise by eliminating the defending champions and two-time Olympic champions, France, in the quarterfinals.
Read also: This duo is the future of the Polish national team. "We've got some beautiful gems." Read also: Iga Świątek makes a touching gesture. The world is delighted with the Polish actress's behavior.
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