European Golden League: Türkiye new champions! Ukraine defeated at tie break! Bronze for hosts Croatia

The winner of 2023 CEV Volleyball European Golden League is Türkiye! After an exciting game lasted five sets (14:25, 25:22, 26:24, 22:25, 15:6), they claimed the trophy, while Ukraine is runner-up, and Croatia won a bronze medal in an one-sided match against Czech Republic.

About the final, following the first set, it looked like it was going to be an easy victory for Ukraine, who claimed a 9-15 lead leaving no chances to the rivals to recover: 14-25.
In the second set started the real beattle: Ukraine started better, but Türkiye managed to equalize it and take the decisive lead, 18-15, to close it by 25-22.
The third set was completely played point-by-point whereas Türkiye was a bit in the lead but, in the end, it was Türkiye who took another set by 26-24 and they were closer to the gold medal than their opponents.
Nothing much different happened in the fourth set where it was once again very balanced.
But Ukraine managed to close this set by 22-25 which only meant that the fifth set is going to decide who are the winners.
Türkiye started the decisive fifth set full of confidence with already had a six-point advantage in the very beginning, 8-2, and the lead remained until the end, closing this set by 15-6.
Well deserved, and congratulations!
The most prolific player was a player in Ukraine’s jersey, Oleh Plotnytskyi, with 20 points, followed by Illia Kovalov with 17.
Among Türkiye, the winners, Kaan Gürbüz scored 19 points, 57% in attack, 1 ace and 1 block, while Efe Bayram also contributed with 15, 2 aces and 52% in attack.

In the afternoon, Final Four hosts Croatia claimed the Bronze Medal, by beating Czech Republic with a clear 3-0 (25:23, 25:18, 25:20)
Croatia dominated throughout the whole three sets, so for the rivals to not be on a podium this year, it was a surprise.
The only time that Czech Republic was in the lead is in the first set was with their first two points.
After that, it was a one-sided Croatian game.
To make the difference are the 11 winning blocks, compared to the rivals’ 6 and four players in double digit: top scorer Petar Dirlic, next year in Italy’s Superlega with Allianz Milano with 15 points through 58% in attack and 1 ace, Marino Marelic with 14, Filip Sestan and Kruno Nikačevič who also contributed with 11 and 10, respectively.
Only Patrick Indra, vice-champion of France with Chaumont, ended in double digit for Czech Republic with 10 points, all in attack (50%).

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🏐| European Golden League 2023 | FINAL FOUR

—SEMIFINALS—

| Saturday June 24, 2023
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Czech Republic 3-2 (22:25, 25:17, 19:25, 25:23, 15:12)
📍 Zadar (CRO)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Croatia – Ukraine 1-3 (23:25, 25:21, 21:25, 12:25)
📍 Zadar (CRO)

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—FINALS—

👉🏼 Sunday June 25, 2023
• Bronze Medal Match | 17.00 (Local Time) | Czech Republic – Croatia 0-3 (23:25, 18:25, 20:25)
📍 Zadar (CRO)