Azerbaijan W vs Romania W

Azerbaijan opened with authority, taking the first set 25-21 in 24 minutes behind efficient attacking from outside hitter Yelizaveta Ruban. The home side carried that momentum into the second, edging a tighter frame 25-23 (33 minutes) to establish apparent control.

Romania refused to fold. They dominated the third set 25-15 (23 minutes), capitalising on Azerbaijan's error count and finding attacking rhythm through their middle blockers. The fourth set followed a similar script: Romania hit 25-22 (28 minutes) to force a decider, levelling the match at two sets apiece.

In the fifth, Azerbaijan reset decisively. They stormed to a 15-8 win in just 17 minutes, converting their 11th match point to seal the victory.

Romania's surge through sets three and four — sparked by aggressive serving and improved blocking — had the home crowd uneasy. But Azerbaijan's response in the fifth set was clinical. After being outscored 50-37 across the middle two sets, the hosts allowed Romania just eight points in the decider, leaning on their starting six to close out without substitute rotations.

Yelizaveta Ruban carried Azerbaijan's offence throughout, leading the team in kills and consistently finding gaps in Romania's block. Polina Rahimova and Margarita Stepanenko provided secondary scoring punch, while captain Ayshan Abdulazimova anchored the middle with timely blocks.

Romania's attack was powered by their opposite hitter and middle blockers, who exploited Azerbaijan's defensive lapses in sets three and four, but could not sustain that level into the tie-break.

Player of the match: Yelizaveta Ruban (Azerbaijan)

The final set scores reveal a match of two almost equal halves on total points — both teams finished with 102 points apiece — but the distribution told the story. Azerbaijan dominated the first two sets (50-44) and the fifth (15-8), while Romania controlled sets three and four (50-37). The 15-8 fifth set margin underscores Azerbaijan's clutch execution in the tie-break: they committed fewer unforced errors and sided out with greater efficiency when it mattered most.

Azerbaijan's attack percentage dipped notably in the middle sets, with hitting errors on the rise, before recovering sharply in the decider.

The victory lifts Azerbaijan to 3-0 in Pool C (8 points), strengthening their grip on a top-four finish and progression to the knockout phase. Romania remain winless at 0-3 (1 point from their five-set loss to the Netherlands), but the two sets they took here could prove valuable in tie-break scenarios.

Up next, Azerbaijan face the Netherlands on 26 August, while Romania take on Belgium on 25 August before meeting Spain on 27 August.

Azerbaijan showed the composure of a tournament host when it most counted. After letting Romania back into the contest through a mid-match dip, they found another gear in the decider. For Romania, the competitive sets are a consolation, but the search for a first win grows urgent.