Slovakia W vs Sweden W

Sweden started in the same dominant vein that had seen them sweep Montenegro 24 hours earlier. Anna Haak and Isabelle Haak combined effectively on the right, and Sweden took the first set 25-22 after 27 minutes. The second set was even more one-sided: Sweden surged to a 25-16 win in 26 minutes, seizing a 2-0 lead that appeared to put the match beyond Slovakia's reach.

Slovakia, having lost 3-0 to France on the opening day, faced a second straight defeat. But head coach Martino Volpini's side responded emphatically. They dictated play in the third set, taking it 25-14 in 27 minutes — holding Sweden to their lowest set score of the tournament so far. Slovakia carried that momentum into the fourth, edging it 25-22 after 30 minutes to force a deciding fifth set.

The fifth set lasted just 13 minutes. Sweden raced to an early lead and never looked back, taking it 15-6. Slovakia, who had won 50 of the 74 points across the third and fourth sets, managed only six in the decider. The service pressure from Sweden — particularly through the Haak sisters — broke Slovakia's rhythm at the critical moment.

Anna Haak (Sweden, captain) — Led from the front as Sweden's captain, scoring crucial points in the first two sets and the decider. Her all-round contribution on both attack and reception stabilised Sweden when Slovakia threatened an upset.

Isabelle Haak (Sweden) — The star opposite, who scored 30 points in Sweden's opening match against Montenegro, was once again Sweden's primary attacking weapon. Her serving in the fifth set was particularly decisive.

Hanna Hellvig (Sweden) — The outside hitter provided consistent support on the left side, finishing with double-digit points and contributing key blocks in the fourth and fifth sets.

Karin Šunderlíková (Slovakia) — Slovakia's top scorer in EuroVolley 2023 and this summer's European League led the Slovak fightback in sets three and four, finding gaps in the Swedish block when it mattered most.

Player of the match: Anna Haak (Sweden)

Sweden's 101-94 advantage in total points reflects how close the contest was across the five sets, despite the decisive 15-6 fifth set. The first two sets were controlled by Sweden (25-22, 25-16), but Slovakia then dominated the middle two (25-14, 25-22). The split tells a tale of two matches within one: Sweden's superior depth and recovery capacity proved the difference when the score reset to zero in the decider.

The five-set format favoured Sweden's physicality; the match lasted 123 minutes, with the fifth set taking just 13. Sweden managed to reset mentally while Slovakia, having expended enormous energy to force the decider, could not maintain their level.

Sweden move to 2-0 in Pool D with six points from two matches, sitting level with Italy (also 2-0 after beating Montenegro 3-0 earlier on Saturday). The hosts face Italy on Sunday (23 August, 18:00 local) in what will effectively decide top spot in the group. Slovakia drop to 0-2 and sit alongside Montenegro at the bottom of the pool, with their next match against Croatia on 23 August (16:00 local) now carrying significant pressure to keep their Round of 16 hopes alive.

Sweden showed resilience that their dark-horse billing requires — recovering their composure after Slovakia had fought back to level the match is the kind of performance that can define a tournament. Slovakia will regret not capitalising fully after dominating the middle two sets, but their fightback against a higher-ranked opponent suggests they can still compete for a top-four finish in Pool D.

Competition: CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women — Pool D Venue: Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden Date: 22 August 2026 Attendance: Not published at time of writing Set scores: 22-25, 16-25, 25-14, 25-22, 6-15 Duration: 123 minutes (27, 26, 27, 30, 13) Total points: Slovakia 94 — 101 Sweden