Another Top 4 team from the 2025 World Cup eliminated in the 1/8 finals! Belgium fight back against Czechia to reach EuroVolley Quarterfinals

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Belgium have reached the quarterfinals of the CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men’s Championship after overcoming Czechia 3–1 (20:25, 26:24, 25:14, 25:15) in Torino on Monday.
After losing the opening set, the Belgians turned the match around through a dominant performance at the net, recording 15 blocking points and taking control of the contest.
Ferre Reggers led all scorers with 24 points, while captain Sam Deroo provided crucial contributions as Belgium advanced to the last eight for the first time since 2017!

Belgium, who topped Pool C in Tampere, entered the knockout stage with the ambition of returning to the quarterfinals after a nine-year absence. Czechia, meanwhile, had finished fourth in the highly competitive Pool A in Modena, but their position in the group standings did little to diminish their confidence.
The Czechs started with remarkable efficiency, attacking at 78% in the opening set and establishing a 10–5 lead behind the performances of Patrik Indra and Antonín Klimeš.
Their blocking also proved effective, producing four points at the net. Belgium attempted to respond through Ferre Reggers, who scored five points in the set, while service aces from Stijn D’Hulst and Reggers twice reduced the deficit to two points.
On both occasions, however, Czechia responded immediately, restoring their advantage at 14–9 and 17–13. With the Czechs leading 21–16, Indra continued to dominate the attack, finishing the set with nine points at an impressive 80% success rate. Czechia closed out the opening frame 25–20, putting Belgium under early pressure.

The second set brought a significant change in momentum: Belgium increased their blocking pressure while Reggers and Sam Deroo provided greater consistency in attack. The teams remained locked at 13–13, with Patrick Indra and Lukáš Vašina keeping Czechia within reach.
Belgium eventually created some breathing room when Reggers’ serving put the Czech reception under pressure, helping the Belgians move ahead 17–13.
Deroo then took charge of the attack, scoring eight points in the set, including seven kills. Belgium appeared to be heading comfortably towards the equaliser at 24–21, but Czechia refused to surrender and levelled the score at 24–24. Two costly errors in the closing exchanges ultimately handed Belgium the set 26–24, bringing the match back to level terms.

Belgium carried that momentum into the third set, with their block becoming an increasingly decisive weapon.
Four kill blocks helped the Belgians establish an 11–7 advantage, while Reggers and Deroo continued to put pressure on the Czech defence. Czech head coach Jiří Novák attempted to change the course of the match with adjustments to his lineup, but Belgium remained in control at 16–12.
Deroo again led the Belgian scoring, contributing eight points in the set, while Reggers and Seppe Rotty added four each. Belgium completed the set 25–14 to move within one set of the quarterfinals.

The fourth set began with Belgium applying pressure from the service line. Samuel Fafchamps delivered two aces during his serving run, helping the Belgians race to an 8–3 lead. Their dominance at the net continued, extending the advantage to 11–5 as Czechia struggled to rediscover the confidence of the opening set.
Belgium maintained their control at 17–10, with Reggers particularly influential in the closing stages. The opposite scored eight points in the set, including three blocks, and his third kill block of the frame completed Belgium’s well-deserved 25–15 victory.
The result secured their place in the EuroVolley quarterfinals!

Ferre Reggers finished as the match’s leading scorer with 24 points through 53% in attack, four blocks and two aces, while Deroo added 17 points for the winners.
Czechia were led by Indra and Vašina, who each scored 14 points, but their contributions were not enough to prevent the Belgian comeback.

“It means a lot to us. We came here to reach this stage of the tournament. It wasn’t always easy because we had some fall-downs in level, but we showed that we are a strong team and that we can get out of these lower stages,” Reggers said after the match.

“At the beginning, Czechia started very aggressively, as we expected. We waited a little bit, but it’s not easy to play against such an experienced team. In the end, we just let them go and started to play our game. We didn’t watch their side; we focused on ourselves. After a while, you feel your game, you know where the ball is going to go and what the spikers will do, and I think we read this game really well.”

Belgium now await their quarterfinal opponent as their EuroVolley campaign continues in the final eight.
This evening, in fact, Slovenia will face Serbia also here in Torino!
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🏐| CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 | ROUND OF 16

Saturday September 19, 2026
📍Arena 8888 Sofia
•16.00 (Local Time) | Poland – Latvia 3-0 (25:17, 25:16, 25:16)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Germany – Bulgaria 3-2 (21:25, 21:25, 25:19, 25:23, 15:12)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

Sunday September 20, 2026
📍Palavela Torino
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Finland – Greece 3-2 (22:25, 25:16, 22:25, 25:23, 15:13)
• 21.05 (Local Time) | Italy – Denmark 3–0 (25:22, 25:16, 25:11)

📍Arena 8888 Sofia
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Romania 0-3 (22:25, 21:25, 28:30)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• 19.00 (Local Time) | France – Portugal 3-0 (25:21, 25:22, 25:21)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

Monday September 21, 2026
📍Palavela Torino
👉🏼 16.00 (Local Time) | Belgium – Czech Republic 3-1 (20:25, 26:24, 25:14, 25:15)
• 21.00 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Serbia 3-0 (25:14, 25:13, 25:22)

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