The second day of the MEVZA U20 tournament witnessed some riveting matches, including a standout men’s clash between Israel and Croatia. Both teams had secured significant opening wins on the first day, but in this encounter, Croatia emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over Israel (25-21, 25-18, 19-25, 25-19).
Ratko Peris, the Croatian coach, highlighted the strategic aspects of their win. “Their strong spikers, particularly their number one, posed a significant challenge with his powerful plays and physical prowess. Our effective counter-attacks and strategic serving were crucial. We focused on applying pressure on their key players, which became a pivotal part of our game plan. I must commend my team for their outstanding performance. Every player contributed significantly, leading to a well-rounded match,” he said.
Israeli coach Noam Katz acknowledged the strengths of the Croatian team. “Firstly, congratulations to Croatia. We began well but slipped in the first set due to some errors. The second set saw us lose our grip on the game. However, we made a comeback in the third set with a changed line-up. Despite our hopes to push further, the fourth set eluded us. Our attack faced challenges today, which we need to address before our next match,” he reflected.
Looking ahead, Croatia will face Luxembourg tomorrow, while Israel is set to compete against Slovakia.
