Second week of 2024 European Golden League as been completed on Sunday with Czech Republic and Croatia to the top, both with 12 points in the standings.
The current leaders started on Friday with an easy 3-0 (25:17, 25:13, 25:22) win over Pool hosts Luxembourg at d’Coque “Gymnase”, and on Saturday they defeated also Ukraine withe the score of 1-3 (22:25, 25:23, 15:25, 22:25), with 11 winning blocks and 23 points from top scorer Patrick Indra.
However, on Sunday, Ukraine redeemed themselves with a 0-3 (16:25, 19:25, 20:25) win over the hosts, Luxembourg, after just 72 minutes of play.
Also Croatia boast 12 points in the standings after 4 victories in as many games. At Traian Sports Hall Ramnicu Valcea, they down the hosts Romania with the score of 3-1 (25:23, 25:22, 20:25, 25:22), mostly thanks to 15 winning blocks, 21 points from Petar Dirlic and 15 from an excellent Kruno Nikačević (83% in attack and 5 winning blocks), and also Portugal, with the same score, 1-3 (24:26, 22:25, 25:22, 22:25).
The same Portugal that, on Sunday, defeated Pool hosts Romania at tie break, 2-3 (23:25, 25:22, 25:16, 22:25, 12:15), despite 33 points from Alexandru Rata (52% in attack and 3 aces), while Alexandre Ferreira score 23 points for the winners (2 aces and 54% in attack).
At Topsporthal Beveren in Belgium, the hosts easily defeated Azerbaijan 0-3 (19:25, 16:25, 17:25) in just 70 minutes of play with 23 points from opposite Ferre Reggers (3 aces, 2 blocks and 75% in attack), but struggled more than expected against North Macedonia, winning the game only at tie break, 3-2 (25:22, 22:25, 25:17, 24:26, 17:15), after more than 2 hours of play (31 points for Reggers, again top scorer of the match, and 25 from Seppe Rotty).
North Macedonia easily down Azerbaijan with the score of 3-0 (25:17, 25:17, 25:18).
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🏐| European Golden League 2024 | Week 2
| Friday May 24, 2024
• 17.30 (Local Time) | Azerbaijan – Belgium 0-3 (19:25, 16:25, 17:25)
📍 Topsporthal Beveren (BEL)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Croatia – Romania 3-1 (25:23, 25:22, 20:25, 25:22)
📍 Traian Sports Hall Ramnicu Valcea (ROU)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Estonia – Spain 3-2 (25:22, 23:25, 31:29, 25:27, 18:16)
📍 Palacio de Deportes de La Guía Gijón (ESP)
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Czech Republic – Luxembourg 3-0 (25:17, 25:13, 25:22)
📍 d’Coque “Gymnase” Luxembourg
| Saturday May 25, 2024
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Finland – Estonia 3-1 (23:25, 25:21, 25:19, 25:18)
📍 Palacio de Deportes de La Guía Gijón (ESP)
• 17.30 (Local Time) | North Macedonia – Azerbaijan 3-0 (25:17, 25:17, 25:18)
📍 Topsporthal Beveren (BEL)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Portugal – Croatia 1-3 (24:26, 22:25, 25:22, 22:25)
📍 Traian Sports Hall Ramnicu Valcea (ROU)
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Czech Republic 1-3 (22:25, 25:23, 15:25, 22:25)
📍 d’Coque “Gymnase” Luxembourg
| Sunday May 26, 2024
• 12.00 (Local Time) | Finland – Spain 3-1 (25:21, 19:25, 26:24, 25:21)
📍 Palacio de Deportes de La Guía Gijón (ESP)
• 15.00 (Local Time) | Belgium – North Macedonia 3-2 (25:22, 22:25, 25:17, 24:26, 17:15)
📍 Topsporthal Beveren (BEL)
• 18.30 (Local Time) | Luxembourg – Ukraine 0-3 (16:25, 19:25, 20:25)
📍 d’Coque “Gymnase” Luxembourg
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Romania – Portugal 2-3 (23:25, 25:22, 25:16, 22:25, 12:15)
📍 Traian Sports Hall Ramnicu Valcea (ROU)
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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Czech Republic 12
2. Croatia 12
3. Ukraine 9
4. Portugal 8
5. Spain 7
6. Finland 6
7. Belgium 5
8. Estonia 5
9. Romania 4
10. North Macedonia 4
11. Luxembourg 0
12. Azerbaijan 0
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🏐| NEXT GAMES | Week 3
| Thursday May 30, 2024
• 17.30 (Local Time) | Finland – Czech Republic
📍 Sport Hall for Indoor Games Karlovy Vary (CZE)
| Friday May 31, 2024
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Romania – Finland
📍 Sport Hall for Indoor Games Karlovy Vary (CZE)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Azerbaijan – Estonia
📍 Spordihall Rakvere (EST)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | North Macedonia – Croatia
📍 Nastavno-Sportska Dvorana Gradski Vrt – Small Hall Osijek (CRO)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Portugal – Ukraine
📍 Arena Jaskółka Tarnów (POL)
| Saturday June 1, 2024
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Czech Republic – Romania
📍 Sport Hall for Indoor Games Karlovy Vary (CZE)
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Luxembourg – Azerbaijan
📍 Spordihall Rakvere (EST)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Spain – North Macedonia
📍 Nastavno-Sportska Dvorana Gradski Vrt – Small Hall Osijek (CRO)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Belgium – Portugal
📍 Arena Jaskółka Tarnów (POL)
| Sunday June 2, 2024
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Estonia – Luxembourg
📍 Spordihall Rakvere (EST)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Croatia – Spain
📍 Nastavno-Sportska Dvorana Gradski Vrt – Small Hall Osijek (CRO)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Belgium
📍 Arena Jaskółka Tarnów (POL)
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