Latvia stun hosts Romania to deliver first EuroVolley 2026 surprise in Cluj-Napoca

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Latvia delivered the first major surprise of CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026, defeating hosts Romania 3-1 (26:24, 18:25, 25:21, 26:24) in front of their home crowd at the BT Arena in Cluj-Napoca.
The result is particularly significant given the setting and the way the match unfolded. The two teams battled for 136 minutes, with just one point separating them in the overall score: 95-94 in Latvia’s favour.
Both the opening and fourth sets went beyond the 25-point mark, and on both occasions Latvia held their nerve to win 26-24.
Romania actually had a narrow advantage in attack, scoring 51 points to Latvia’s 48, but the visitors made the difference in other areas. Latvia produced 13 blocks to Romania’s 10 and six aces to four, while keeping their composure when the decisive moments arrived.

The opening set immediately set the tone. Neither team managed to establish a clear advantage, with the score remaining tight deep into the set. Latvia eventually converted their opportunity at 25-24 to take the lead, only for Romania to respond emphatically in the second.
The hosts raised their level in attack and took the second set 25-18, restoring parity and giving the home crowd plenty to celebrate.
Latvia, however, refused to let the momentum shift completely. They regained control in the third set, taking it 25-21, and moved within one set of a remarkable victory.
The fourth proved to be the match’s defining battle. Romania had the chance to force a deciding set, but Latvia once again handled the pressure better. With the score tied at 24-24, the visitors produced the final two points to complete a 26-24 set and a 3-1 victory.

Alexandru Rață led all scorers with 21 points for Romania, while Cristian-Daniel Chitic contributed 17. For Latvia, Kristaps Smits was the team’s leading scorer with 14 points, followed by Jānis Eduards Medenis on 12 and Gustavs Freimanis on 10.
For Latvia, the victory also represents confirmation of a remarkable recent record against Romania. The two teams had already met in the CEV Volleyball European League in Riga on June 5, when Latvia won 3-0 (25:22, 25:21, 25:22). That match was the official debut of Uģis Krastiņš as head coach of the Latvian national team, and his side immediately defeated Romania despite the latter entering the tournament as a higher-ranked opponent.
Krastiņš has since continued to build a competitive Latvian side. The experienced coach previously led the Ukraine men’s national team from 2017 to 2023, guiding them to the quarterfinals of EuroVolley 2019 and the 2022 FIVB World Championship. At club level, he has a long association with Ukrainian side Barkom-Kazhany, including their period competing in Poland’s PlusLiga.

Latvia are now making their third appearance at the men’s European Championship, and their opening-night victory could prove extremely valuable in a particularly demanding Pool D.
The group also features co-hosts Romania, Olympic champions France, Germany, Türkiye and Switzerland. CEV had identified Pool D as one of the most balanced groups before the tournament, with Latvia and Switzerland among the teams capable of challenging the established favourites.
For Romania, meanwhile, the defeat makes their next matches in Cluj even more important. The hosts will need to recover quickly in a pool where every point could prove decisive in the race for the top four places and a spot in the Round of 16.
Latvia, on the other hand, could hardly have asked for a better opening: a four-set victory over the hosts, another win over Romania under Krastiņš, and two pressure-filled sets won 26-24.
The surprise in Cluj has arrived — and Latvia have made sure everyone takes notice.

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🏐| CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 | Wednesday, September 9, 2026

POOL B 📍Arena 8888 Sofia
19.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – North Macedonia 3-0 (25:17, 25:19, 25:18)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

🏐| POOL B STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Bulgaria 3
2. Poland
3. Portugal
4. Ukraine
5. Israel
6. North Macedonia

👉🏼POOL D📍BT Arena Cluj Napoca
20.00 (Local Time) | Romania – Latvia 1-3 (24:26, 25:18, 21:25, 24:26)

🏐| POOL D STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Latvia 3
2. France 0
3. Germany 0
4. Türkiye 0
5. Switzerland 0
6. Romania 0

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NEXT GAMES:

Thursday, September 10, 2026
POOL A📍Arena Piazza del Plebiscito Naples
21.05 (Local Time) | Italy – Sweden
POOL B📍Arena 8888 Sofia
16.00 (Local Time) | Poland – Portugal
19.00 (Local Time) | Israel – Ukraine
POOL C📍Nokia Arena Tampere
20.00 (Local Time) | Finland – Denmark
POOL D📍 BT Arena Cluj-Napoca
17.00 (Local Time) | France – Switzerland
20.00 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Germany

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