Serbia vs Japan

Japan seized control from the opening serve. Set 1 finished 25–17 after Japan's serving pressure repeatedly disrupted Serbia's reception, forcing the Serbian attackers into difficult transition situations. The second set was even more one-sided: Japan raced to a 25–15 win, holding Serbia to single-digit points for long stretches and committing few unforced errors of their own.

Serbia refused to fold. Trailing two sets to none, they came out with renewed energy in Set 3. An improved blocking structure slowed Japan's wing attacks, and Serbia's own offence found better rhythm through the middle. They took the set 25–22 — the only set they won all match — to extend the contest.

Set 4 belonged to Japan. They rebuilt their defensive wall, jumped to an early lead, and never let Serbia back into the frame, closing 25–16 to seal the match.

Japan's dominant start in the first two sets effectively decided the match. Winning the opening two sets by a combined 50–32 margin gave Japan a commanding lead that Serbia, despite a spirited third-set fightback, could not overturn. Japan's immediate response in Set 4 — scoring the first four points and never trailing — extinguished any hope of a Serbian comeback.

Japan's wing spikers were the difference-makers, consistently finding gaps around and through the Serbian block. Japan's serving game was particularly effective in Sets 1, 2 and 4, forcing Serbia into out-of-system attacks that rarely threatened the scoreboard. The Japanese libero anchored a defence that held Serbia below 20 points in three of the four sets.

For Serbia, the middle-blocker rotation stabilised the defence in Set 3, and the team's blocking win rate improved markedly in that period. But the inconsistency across the other three sets — especially in serve-receive — proved costly against a Japan side that punished every error.

The set-by-set breakdown tells a clear story of control. Japan's cumulative 100 points to Serbia's 73 across four sets underscores a match that was more one-sided than the 3–1 scoreline suggests. Serbia's 25–22 third-set win was their only bright spot; in the three sets they lost, they averaged just 16 points per set. Japan's ability to win two sets by double-digit margins (eight and ten points) reflects a sideout-and-transition game that operated at peak efficiency.

Japan move to 4–0 in the VNL 2026 preliminary phase, sitting second in the standings behind only Brazil after collecting three more points. For Serbia, who entered Week 2 with a 3–0 record from Week 1 in Brasília, this loss drops them to 3–1 and exposes areas to sharpen before the final phase. Japan return to action on 26 June against Iran, while Serbia face Cuba on the same day. Both teams remain in Orléans for the remainder of Pool 4.

Japan's start in Orléans was clinical: they punished Serbia's slow start, absorbed the inevitable fightback, and closed out efficiently. Serbia have the tools to compete — their third-set response proved it — but need to bring that intensity from the opening whistle if they are to reach the VNL Finals in Ningbo.