© Sporza
At the European Volleyball Championship, the Belgian volleyball women played their first match on Friday afternoon. Taken by the hand by an impressive Britt Herbots, the Yellow Tigers did what they had to do and finally beat Azerbaijan, the number five in the world, convincingly in three sets (13-25, 24-26 and 13-25).
Thomas cami
A victory was necessary, because the Yellow Tigers are classified in a difficult group with European champions Serbia and top country Russia. In order to be (at least) third in the group and thus avoid a seed from the other group, it was best to win against Azerbaijan. Our national volleyball women clearly understood that immediately, because after they first fell behind three times in the first set, they gradually came under steam. The first set was eventually won relatively easily 13-25.
The second set was a lot more difficult for the Yellow Tigers. It seemed to go wrong when it faced a 23-20 deficit, but in the end the volleyball women still managed to win the set: 24-26.
The Yellow Tigers had no intention of relinquishing the victory, and as a result they pushed hard in the beginning of the third set: a 2-6 lead was the result. Azerbaijan still tried to defend itself, but the Tigers were supreme. The third set was also eventually won with convincing 13-25 figures. The Tigers’ next game this European Championship will be played on August 22, against European champions Serbia.
