France made it two wins from two at EuroVolley 2026 Women with a convincing 3-0 sweep of Croatia in Pool D in Gothenburg. Cyrielle Depié scored 19 points as France won 25-16, 25-17, 25-22.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
France seized control from the opening whistle. The first set lasted just 27 minutes as Les Bleues overwhelmed Croatia with efficient attacking, closing it out 25-16 behind the powerful hitting of Cyrielle Depié and Amélie Rotar.
The second set followed a similar pattern. France's block-defence system neutralised Croatia's primary attackers, limiting Samanta Fabris and Mika Grbavica to few clean looks. France took the set 25-17 in 26 minutes.
Croatia offered their sternest resistance in the third set. Trailing 0-2, Igor Arbutina's side raised their serving intensity and tightened their defensive coverage, keeping the set level into the late stages. However, with the score at 22-22, France found another gear. Depié delivered a crucial kill, and two consecutive Croatian errors handed France match point before Halimatou Bah closed it out 25-22 in 29 minutes.
The Turning Point
Croatia led the third set 22-21 and appeared poised to force a fourth set — the first extended test France had faced all tournament. But a composed French response, anchored by Depié's attacking from the right side and a Croatian service error at 22-22, flipped the momentum decisively. France scored four unanswered points to seal the sweep.
Key Performers
Cyrielle Depié (France) was the undisputed standout, finishing as the match's top scorer with 19 points including 13 winning spikes and an ace. The French opposite also led in break points (10), underlining her value in high-pressure moments.
Amélie Rotar (France) contributed 11 points (10 kills), providing reliable support on the left pin.
Halimatou Bah (France) also posted 11 points (10 kills), including the match-clinching spike in the third set.
Samanta Fabris (Croatia) top-scored for her team with 10 points (10 kills), battling gamely against France's well-organised block.
By the Numbers
France's attacking efficiency told the story: Depié, Rotar and Bah combined for 33 of France's kills, while the entire Croatian attack managed only 29. The 75-55 aggregate points margin (20 points) reflected France's control across the three sets, though the third-set gap narrowed to just three points — a sign Croatia can compete when they minimise unforced errors.
France won the blocking battle decisively, repeatedly forcing Croatian hitters into difficult angles. The match lasted 82 minutes, the quickest of the day's Pool D fixtures.
What It Means
France move to 2-0 in Pool D with 6 points, firmly in contention for a top-two finish in the group alongside Italy (also 2-0). Croatia remain winless at 0-2 and face an uphill battle to reach the knockout rounds, needing strong results against Slovakia and Montenegro in their remaining group matches.
France next face Montenegro on 24 August at 19:00 local time, before a blockbuster showdown with Italy on 26 August. Croatia play Slovakia on 24 August at 16:00, a match that may determine their tournament fate.
Pool D is co-hosted by Sweden in Gothenburg, with Italy — reigning Olympic and world champions — the clear favourites to top the group.
Verdict
France have answered every early question at EuroVolley 2026. Two matches, two sweeps, zero sets lost. Depié is emerging as a genuine tournament force, and the team's defensive structure looks tournament-ready. Croatia, by contrast, have struggled to translate competitive patches into set wins and must now win their remaining group matches to keep knockout hopes alive.
France W and Croatia W have met 6 times — France W won 1, Croatia W won 5, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2011. Croatia W leads the head-to-head with 5 victories from 6 meetings. A combined 26 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 4.33 per match (9 for the home side, 17 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 5 matches (83%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 6 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 2–3 in 2022.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 24 Aug 2026