The second day of competition at the first round of the U18 European Championship Zonal Qualifiers for men’s volleyball delivered plenty of excitement, particularly in the opening and closing matches of the day.
Action got underway with an entertaining clash in which Bulgaria secured an important 3–1 victory over Greece after a highly competitive encounter.
There were no surprises in the second match of the day, as Montenegro recorded a routine win over Kosovo. Kosovo offered solid resistance only in the second set, but Montenegro maintained control throughout the match to seal a comfortable victory.
The final match of the day proved to be the most thrilling. Turkey emerged victorious in a tense and dramatic battle against Romania, keeping their semifinal hopes alive. At the same time, this result pushed Montenegro into a direct fight for a place among the top four teams at the tournament.
The group stage concludes tomorrow, with decisive matches on the schedule. A major battle is expected in the clashes between Bulgaria and Serbia, as well as Montenegro and Romania, where the final semifinal spots will be decided.
GREECE – BULGARIA 1:3 (25-18, 21-25, 23-25, 17-25)
MONTENEGRO – KOSOVO 3:0 (25-6, 25-17, 25-16)
TÜRKIYE – ROMANIA 3:1 (31-29, 20-25, 25-22, 26-24)
1st Round Zonal Qualifications U18 Men European Championship 2026
In the second match of the day, host nation Montenegro caused a major upset by defeating the favored Turkish team in straight sets, taking a significant step toward qualification for the next round.
In the final match of the opening day, Romania left no room for surprises, comfortably defeating Kosovo without dropping a set.
