Bulgaria Crush Serbia in Volleyball European Championships

In an enthralling game, Bulgaria won a 5th set tie-break to take a morale boosting victory. Photo by BGNES

The national volleyball team of Bulgaria beat Serbia on the opening day of the European Championships in Turkey, in a match which some called the "final before the final".

In an enthralling game, Bulgaria won a 5th set tie-break to take a morale boosting victory. Bulgaria lost the first set 21-25, dominated the second 25-17 before crumbling in the 3rd 19-25.

In the fourth set Bulgaria stunned Serbia, who were looking to wrap up the match. They led from start to finish and won 25-22 despite a Serb fight back. Bulgaria again dominated in the tie break winning 15-11 to secure the match.

Serbia won bronze in Moscow 2007 and alongside Bulgaria and Italy, Serbia is being hailed as one of the potential favourites for the title.

In Silvano Prandi's, Bulgaria's Italian head coach, first game in a major tournament, he showed some masterly timing for substitutions.

Bulgaria is in Group D with Serbia, Italy and the Czech Republic, and the top three teams will qualify for the next phase of the tournament.

Bulgaria finished in eighth place at the last European championship, but this time around, according to the bookmakers, Bulgaria is considered as one of the tournaments' top four favourites.

 

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