VNL 2024: France and Japan to Final! Poland and Slovenia for bronze
2 min read
Final of 2024 Volleyball Nations League is France – Japan!
In an exciting semi-final match at Altlas Arena in Łódź, France defeated host Poland 3-2, securing the first avaible spot in the final. The intense battle ended with a tie-break victory (22:25, 25:22, 25:23, 20:25, 18:16).
Despite Poland’s strong performance and support from 11,000 fervent fans, France emerged victorious, led above all by Yacine Louati, Jenia Grebennikov, Théo Faure, and Antoine Brizard, and this win comes just a day after their narrow quarter-final triumph over Italy!
The semi-final loss means Poland, the defending champions and European titleholders, will not retain their crown.
France will now face Japan in the final on Sunday, aiming for their fourth Nations League title, just three years after their last triumph in 2022.
This victory also boosts their momentum as they prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Japan earned their spot in the final after defeating Slovenia in just three, but hard-fought sets (25:21, 27:25, 31:29) in what was a victory that marks their first appearance in a VNL gold medal match.
Captain Yuki Ishikawa led again his team with 21 points, followed by Yuji Nishida who added 18 points. Slovenia, led by Tonček Štern with 20 points, will compete for their first VNL medal in the bronze match.
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🏐| FIVB VOLLEYBALL NATIONS LEAGUE 2024 |Semifinals @ Łódź 🇵🇱
👉🏼 Saturday | June 29, 2024 —
• SEMIFINAL 1 | 17:00 (Local Time) | Poland – France 2-3 (25:22, 22:25, 23:25, 25:20, 16:18)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
Poland: Leon 3, Kurek, Fornal 12, Kochanowski 3, Bieniek 3, Boladz , Janusz 3, Popiwczak (L), Bednorz 7, Kacz,arek 5, Śliwka, Lomacz, Semeniuk, Zatorski (L), Huber 18. Coach. Grbic.
France: Patry 6, Toniutti, Le Goff 11, Clevenot 14, Louati 21, Seddik 1, Grebennikov (L), Tillie 1, Ngapeth 1, Brizard 3, Jouffroy 3, Diez (L), Faure 20, Carle. Coach. Giani
• SEMIFINAL 2 | 20:00 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Japan 0-3 (21:25, 25:27, 29:31)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
Slovenia: T. Stern 20, Pajenk 10, Planinsic, Kozamernik 5, Toman (L), Bracko, Stalekar 2, Kovacic (L), Z. Stern, Ropret, Urnaut 4, Cebulj 12, Mozic 3, Mujanovic. Coach: Cretu
Japan: Ishikawa 21, Otzuka 7, Nishida 18, Onodera 9, Yamauchi 2, Miyaura, Sekita, Fukatsu, Kentaro 1, Tomita, Ogawa (L), Kai, Yamamoto (L), Larry. Coach. Blain.
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Finals
• BRONZE MEDAL MATCH | 17:00 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Poland 0-3 (24:26, 16:25, 17:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• GOLD MEDAL MATCH | 20:00 (Local Time) | Japan – France 1-3 (23:25, 25:18, 23:25, 23:25)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
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