WCH 2025: winning debut for USA, Canada, Portugal, Türkiye, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Slovenia and Poland

Article in collaboration Ivan (from Quezon City) and Danijel (from Pasay City) ©️Volleytimes.com

After opener game played yesterday in which hosts Philippines suffered a defeat against Tunisia, 2025 World Championship continued today with 8 games.
USA opened their path campaign in style, sweeping Colombia 3-0 (25:20, 25:21, 25:14) in Pasay City.
Ethan Champlin led all scorers with 17 points including 12 attacks, three aces and two blocks, while Gabi Garcia added 12 highlighted by a match-high four aces and Jordan Ewert also contributed with 11 points including 1 block.
For underdogs Colombia, Miguel Ángel Amaranto tallied 11 points, all in attack, and he was the only player in double digit, as Juan Felipe Benavides scored eight.

Head coach Karch Kiraly praised his team’s poise, especially from players making their World Championship debuts. “They did a really nice job of working through first-time nerves and made it look like they’ve been competing at this level for years,” he said after the game.

The winners outperformed Colombia in every elements: kills (40-31), blocks (6-4), and aces (8-3) — under the guidande of captain Micah Christenson.
With the victory, they claimed their first three points in Pool D, while Colombia, who made their first-ever World Championship appearance, will look to bounce back in their next outing.

In Pool G, Canada overcame a shaky start to beat Libya 3-1 (22:25, 25:20, 25:12, 29:27) in their opening match of World Championship in Pasay City.
Back with the national team after four years, Sharone Vernon-Evans led all scorers with 22 points, well supported by captain Nicholas Hoag who also contributed with 20, while middle blockers Fynn McCarthy and Daenan Gyimah tallied 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Libya, making their first World Championship appearance in 45 years, claimed the opening set but couldn’t hold off Canada’s serving power. Brothers Ahmed and Mohamed Ikhbayri each scored 17 points in the desperate effort.
Canada sealed the win with a strong performance in serving, delivering 15 aces to Libya’s three.

Also on this day, Türkiye and Portugal made their debut with stunning upsets shocking higher-ranked rivals.
In Pool G in Quezon City No.16 Türkiye stunned No.5 Japan with a clean 3-0 sweep (25:19, 25:23, 25:19), led by outside hitter Efe Mandiraci, who led all scorers with 17 points, while Adis Lagumdzija added 15. Japan’s Kento Miyaura topped his team with 13 points.

In Pool D in Pasay City Portugal celebrated their first World Championship win in 23 years, by defeating Cuba 3-1 (20:25, 25:22, 25:19, 25:19), led by rising star Nuno Marques who scored a match-high 19 points, while Filip Cveticanin and Jose Pinto added 14 each.
Cuba’s Marlon Yant also scored 19 points.

Also Slovenia and Bulgaria kicked off their 2025 FIVB Volleyball World Championship campaigns in style, each claiming straight-set victories in Pool E at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday.
The sixth-ranked Slovenia outclassed Chile 3–0 Chile (25:19, 25:20, 25:16) with a powerful display at the net. Tonček Štern led the charge with 15 points, while Nik Mujanović, stepping into an outside hitter role, added 12. Middle blocker Jan Kozamernik also reached double digits leaving the court with 11 points.
For Chile, Vicente Parraguirre scored 12 points, all in attack, while Noé Aravena also contributed 11, but the South Americans couldn’t compete against Slovenia’s 47 kills and 10 blocks.

Earlier in the day, Bulgaria survived first set to sweep Germany 3-0 (40:38, 25:22, 25:20), with an impressive performance from Aleksandar Nikolov, who scored as many as 27-points supported by his younger brother Simeon, who tallied 9 points with an 88% attack success rate.
Germany’s veteran captain Gyorgy Grozer delivered 13 points, while middle blockers Anton Brehme (11) and Tobias Krick (10) also reached a double digit, but their efforts weren’t enough against Bulgaria’s 53 kills and a very strong teamwork.

World Ranking leaders Poland and the Netherlands opened their campaigns with victories in Pool B action at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Poland overcame a tense first set before destroying Romania 3-0 (34:32, 25:15, 25:19), with the return of captain Bartosz Kurek, returning after missing the VNL, who scored 13 points, while Wilfredo León led the charge with 14 and Tomasz Fornal who added 10. Romania’s Adrian Aciobăniței scored 11 points, supported by Mircea Peța with 9, but they were not enough.
Earlier in the day, the Netherlands down Qatar 3-1 (25:18, 25:23, 26:28, 25:23). Opposite Michiel Ahyi topped all scorers with 20 points, while Tom Koops with 17, Bennie Tuinstra with 15 and middle blocker Fabian Plak with 13 also played key roles. Qatar’s Youssef Oughlaf tallied 17 points, while Renan Ribeiro and Nikola Vasic contributing 11 each.
With both Poland and the Netherlands claiming three points, the first one lead Pool B on set ratio, and recall that only the top two teams will advance to the elimination rounds, making every match crucial in the race for the prestigious knockout stage.

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🌏| 2025 FIVB World Championship | Pool Stage

👉🏼Saturday September 13, 2025

Pool D | 📍 Pasay City
• 10.00 (Local Time) | USA – Colombia 3-0 (25:20, 25:21, 25:14)

Pool G | 📍 Quezon City
• 10.30 (Local Time) | Canada – Lybia 3-1 (22:25, 25:20, 25:12, 29:27)

Pool D | 📍 Pasay City
• 13.30 (Local Time) | Cuba – Portugal 1-3 (25:20, 22:25, 19:25, 19:25)

🏐| POOL D STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. USA 3
2. Portugal 3
3. Cuba 0
4. Colombia 0

Pool G | 📍 Quezon City
• 14.00 (Local Time) | Japan – Türkiye 0-3 (19:25, 23:25, 19:25)

🏐| POOL G STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Türkiye 3
2. Canada 3
3. Lybia 0
4. Japan 0

Pool E | 📍 Pasay City
• 17.30 (Local Time) | Germany – Bulgaria 0-3 (38:40, 22:25, 20:25)

Pool B | 📍 Quezon City
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Netherlands – Qatar 3-1 (25:18, 25:23, 26:28, 25:23)

Pool E | 📍 Pasay City
• 21.00 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Chile 3-0 (25:19, 25:20, 25:16)