Ukraine W vs Greece W

The third set could have been a launchpad for Ukraine to seize control of the match. Instead, Greece's response in the fourth set — particularly their ability to rebuild a working block after hitting just 36% in the third — was the decisive shift. Greece committed only one error in the fourth set compared to four from Ukraine, and their block produced two points when it mattered most. That reset allowed Greece to enter the fifth set with momentum, and they never trailed after 6-5.

Martha Evdokia Anthouli (Greece) — The standout player on the court. Anthouli finished with a match-high 28 points: 24 kills at 41% efficiency, two blocks and two aces. She was Greece's go-to attacker in every high-pressure rally, particularly in the fifth set where she scored five points.

Viktoriia Danchak (Ukraine) — Led Ukraine with 18 points, including 15 kills at 48% efficiency and three aces. Her serving was a key weapon, particularly in the third-set rout.

Svitlana Dorsman (Ukraine) — Added 17 points with 14 kills at 48% and three blocks. The captain was Ukraine's most reliable presence at the net.

Georgia-Loula Angelopoulou (Greece) — Contributed 10 points and led Greece's reception unit with 29 attempts, completing 34% positively.

Player of the Match: Martha Evdokia Anthouli (Greece)

Greece outscored Ukraine 100-105 in total points across the match, a narrow margin that reflects the five-set nature of the contest. The most significant statistical swing came in the third set: Ukraine outscored Greece 25-12 with a staggering 65% attack efficiency compared to Greece's 36%. Yet Greece won the other four sets on the scoreboard and crucially out-blocked Ukraine 6-5 while committing fewer errors (11 to Ukraine's 15). Anthouli accounted for 38% of her team's total points — a heavy but successful reliance.

Despite hitting at a lower overall percentage (40% to Ukraine's 39%), Greece's attack volume (161 attempts to 173) was more efficiently distributed, and their four reception errors to Ukraine's one in the fourth and fifth sets tell the story of a match won through composure in the decisive moments rather than statistical dominance across the full 130 minutes.

Both teams entered Saturday 0-1 after losing their opening matches on Day 1 (Ukraine swept 3-0 by Bulgaria, Greece beaten 3-1 by Czechia). Greece's victory lifts them to 1-1 in Pool B with three points, keeping them in contention for a top-four finish that would secure a Round of 16 berth. Ukraine fall to 0-2 and are now in a precarious position in the six-team group where Serbia, Bulgaria and Czechia have all started with wins.

Pool B continues on 24 August. Ukraine face Austria (16:00 local, Brno) — a must-win fixture to keep their knockout hopes alive — while Greece take on Bulgaria (19:00 local, Brno) in another critical match.

Greece showed the greater composure when the pressure peaked, recovering from a humbling third-set loss to control the fourth and fifth. Ukraine's inability to sustain their third-set level across a full match has left them winless through two rounds. Anthouli's 28-point performance was the single decisive factor.