Croatia W vs Slovakia W

Slovakia controlled the first two sets with efficient attacking. They edged a tight opener 27-25 after Croatia squandered set-point opportunities, then took the second 25-19 with a mid-set surge. Croatia had lost their previous two matches — 3-0 to Italy on 21 August and 3-0 to France on 23 August — and appeared headed for another sweep.

The match turned after the interval. Croatia came out sharper in the third set, matching Slovakia point-for-point before pulling away at 25-21. They carried that momentum into the fourth, forcing errors from the Slovak side and levelling the match at 25-22.

In the deciding fifth set, Croatia led from 3-1 onwards, extended the gap to 10-6 at the switch, and closed it out 15-11. Slovakia have now lost two matches from winning positions in this tournament — they had led Sweden 2-1 on 22 August before losing 3-2.

Croatia extended their unbeaten head-to-head record against Slovakia to 4-0 in meetings since 2016.

The 20-minute break between sets two and three changed the match entirely. Croatia, who had been outscored 52-44 across the first two sets, flipped the script decisively — outscoring Slovakia 65-54 across the final three. The change was tactical as much as psychological: Croatia's block-defence system tightened, holding Slovakia to significantly lower attacking efficiency in sets three through five.

Vedrana Jakšetić (Croatia, setter) — The experienced captain orchestrated Croatia's revival, distributing across the net and keeping the Slovak block guessing after the second set. Jakšetić had noted after the France defeat that Croatia "always have to play strong, no matter who is on the other side."

Izabela Štimac (Croatia, libero) — Anchored Croatia's defensive line with consistent passing and floor coverage, particularly during the crucial third and fourth sets when Slovakia's attackers were finding gaps earlier in the match.

Samanta Fabris (Croatia, opposite) — Croatia's primary scoring threat throughout the tournament carried the offensive load, particularly in sets three and four when the team needed points in tight phases.

Slovakia's outside hitters — Led the scoring in the first two sets but faded as Croatia's block-defence adjusted. Slovakia's inability to convert a 2-0 lead for the second time in three matches will be a concern for head coach Martino Volpini.

Player of the match: Not officially announced at time of writing.

The 3-2 scoreline masks a match of two distinct phases. Slovakia held a 52-44 points advantage across the first two sets, converting at a higher rate in long rallies. Croatia reversed that trend completely after the interval, winning the points battle 65-54 across the final three sets. The decisive fifth set (15-11) reflected Croatia's growing control: they never trailed after 3-1 and forced Slovakia into five of their 11 errors in the decider alone.

Croatia's previous H2H dominance (3-0 before this match) had all been straight-set wins, making this their first five-set victory over Slovakia.

Pool D standings after this match (matches played, wins, losses, points):

• Italy: 3-0-0, 9 pts
• France: 2-0-0, 6 pts
• Sweden: 2-1-0, 5 pts
• Croatia: 1-2-0, 2 pts
• Slovakia: 0-3-0, 2 pts
• Montenegro: 0-2-0, 0 pts

The top four from each pool advance to the knockout stage. Croatia (2 points) are level with Slovakia but have played one fewer match. Both trail the top three but remain within striking distance of a quarter-final berth.

Croatia next face Sweden on 25 August, then Montenegro on 27 August. Slovakia face Italy on 25 August and Montenegro on 26 August — both must-win scenarios for the Slovaks.

Croatia refused to let their EuroVolley campaign end quietly, turning a two-set hole into a season-defining win that keeps them in Pool D contention. For Slovakia, the pattern of squandering winning positions — they also led Sweden 2-1 before losing 3-2 — now leaves them needing results against Italy and Montenegro just to stay alive in the group stage.

Set scores: 25-27, 19-25, 25-21, 25-22, 15-11. Venue: Scandinavium, Gothenburg. Competition: CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women — Pool D.