Japan headline Day 4 while fellow contenders Czechia, USA, Iran, Poland and Italy extend winning runs at the Men’s U21 World Championship
Japan carried their momentum into a fourth straight triumph on Monday at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship, leading a group of unbeaten teams that also includes Czechia, the United States, Iran, Poland and Italy at Jiangmen Sports Center.
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Japan strengthened their grip on Pool C with a dominant 3-0 (25-16, 25-11, 25-14) win over Colombia, extending their run to four straight matches. The Asian side wasted no time imposing their rhythm, racing ahead early in each set and never allowing the South Americans to settle into the contest. Their quick offense and organized block created a steady cushion on the scoreboard, setting the tone for another statement performance.
The Japanese attack ran smoothly through Shunta Ono and Kai Yamamoto, who finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Both consistently broke through the Colombian defense, while the team as a whole delivered precision in transition play. Their execution in rallies reflected the balance of sharp serving, disciplined blocking and relentless floor defense that has defined Japan’s campaign so far.
Colombia’s usually reliable scorer Maicol Ortiz was limited to just 10 points, as Japan’s defensive schemes neutralized his influence. Without his usual output, Colombia found few answers against Japan’s pace and coverage. The straight-sets victory underscored Japan’s consistency and control, setting up a clash with fellow unbeaten Czechia for the top spot in the pool.
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Czechia, meanwhile, kept pace with the leaders after a convincing 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-19) victory over Bulgaria. The two European sides started closely, with Bulgaria pushing hard in the opening set, but Czechia’s organization and discipline at key points allowed them to pull through. Once they settled into rhythm, the Czechs tightened their grip on the match and gradually widened the gap, particularly in the second set where their block and defense gave them control of the rallies.
Defense was the cornerstone of Czechia’s game. They produced 53 digs and were quick to turn them into counterattacks, keeping Bulgaria under pressure throughout. Their clean play made the difference, as they committed only 18 errors compared to Bulgaria’s 33. Each mistake from their opponents became an opportunity, and Czechia’s ability to minimize turnovers allowed them to dictate the pace. The third set reflected that steadiness, as Bulgaria tried to respond but found little success against Czechia’s defensive wall.
Thomas Brichta delivered another strong performance, leading with 15 points on 13 kills and two blocks. His output outpaced Bulgarian captain Aleksandar Kandev, who posted 11 points but was often left isolated against the Czech block. While Bulgaria showed flashes of their attacking power, Czechia’s balance between front-line defense and back-row coverage proved decisive.
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The United States also came through in a clash of unbeaten sides, seizing control of Pool A with a 3-1 (24-26, 25-21, 25-21, 25-18) win over China. The Americans had chances to close the opening set but let the hosts rally back to steal it 26-24. From there, they tightened their execution, using sharper plays to level the match in the second set before maintaining momentum through the third. By the fourth, they were firmly in control, finishing with poise to hand China its first defeat.
Sean Kelly and Cole Hartke led the charge with 19 and 18 points, combining for 10 of the team’s 15 blocks. Tread Rosenthal added three rejections as the Americans built their edge at the net while also delivering 51 attacks and five aces. China relied on Li Hai and Wang Bohan, who scored 16 and 13, but the visitors’ block and balance across all rotations ultimately decided the contest.
In Pool B, Iran kept momentum rolling with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-22) sweep of Canada, marking their fourth straight victory. The defending champions controlled the match from start to finish, showing efficiency in attack and discipline in execution to limit their turnovers. After holding off Canada’s early push in the opening set, Iran shifted into a higher gear, dominating the second frame before closing out a tighter third.
Ariyan Mahmoudi Nejad paced the Iranians with 14 points, supported by Shayan Mehrabi’s 11, as their balanced offence and steady block proved decisive. Daniil Hershtynovich was Canada’s lone bright spot with 13 points, but the North American side struggled to maintain consistency against Iran’s well-structured plays.
Poland followed suit, staying steady to sweep Kazakhstan 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-22) for their fourth straight victory. The Poles stayed composed under pressure, closing each tight set with discipline and control. They may not have outpaced Kazakhstan in attack, but their sharper net defense and efficiency limited errors, conceding only 15 points on mistakes while maintaining their edge throughout the contest.
Wojciech Gajek led Poland with 15 points, backed by Bartlomiej Potrykus with 12. Kazakhstan had bright spots from Assylkhan Izbergenuly and Klim Ryukhov, who finished with 15 and 14 points, but the Central Asians could not match the European side’s balanced rotation and closing power in the decisive moments.
Italy rounded out the list of undefeated teams, easing past Tunisia with a commanding 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-18) victory in Pool D. The Italians controlled the tempo in every set, responding calmly whenever Tunisia attempted to rally and never allowing their opponents to generate a sustained threat. Their consistency in both attack and serve gave them a firm grip on the match and left Tunisia chasing throughout.
The European side tallied 42 attacks, five blocks and eight aces, with Manuel Zlatanov leading the way on 14 points from 13 kills and an ace. Pardo Mati followed with 12 points, scoring eight on the attack, one block and three aces, while Abdkarim Frikha top-scored for Tunisia with seven. Italy’s balanced performance underlined their depth and highlighted why they remain the only undefeated team in the pool.
In other matches, Egypt showed grit again by rallying past Türkiye 3-2 (26-24, 22-25, 14-25, 25-17, 18-16) in Pool A. After splitting the first two sets, Türkiye surged ahead with a lopsided third, only for Egypt to storm back behind a 25-17 fourth frame that forced a decider. The tiebreak went point for point until Egypt’s block made the difference, with captain Hamza Awad (Elsafy) posting 27 points and six rejections from Ibrahim Abdelmaksood (Meme). Mahmoud Abdelbaki (Houda) added 15 as the African side closed it out, outlasting Yilmaz Uner’s 25-point effort for Türkiye.
Thailand also had reason to celebrate, securing their first victory with a commanding 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-21) sweep of Morocco. The Asian side controlled the match from start to finish, led by opposite Christopher Arli Upakam’s standout 22-point performance built on 18 kills, three blocks and an ace. Captain Kittipong Sangsak added 17 points and fired four aces as Thailand’s attack and service pressure proved overwhelming. With 43 kills, 11 aces and just 13 errors, Thailand’s clean, aggressive play left Morocco chasing throughout, despite 12 points each from Hicham Masmoudi and Moutaouakil Said.
In Pool B, Korea regained momentum with a 3-1 (25-17, 20-25, 25-16, 25-17) win over Puerto Rico to boost their chances of reaching the Round of 16. While both teams tallied 41 kills, Korea’s edge came from their net defense and service, finishing with an 11-6 block advantage and a 5-2 margin in aces while conceding just 26 points on errors compared to Puerto Rico’s 38. Park Wooyoung led with 15 points, built on 11 kills, three blocks and an ace, while Yun Seojin added 10 to secure the result.
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In the same pool, Cuba snapped a two-match skid with a commanding 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-20) win over Brazil, riding a strong all-around game to get back in form. After edging the opening set by two points, the Cubans tightened their grip with 44 kills, 11 blocks and three aces that left Brazil struggling to respond. Carlos Javier Pereira Larea led with 20 points, including 18 kills, while Daniel Martinez added 19 with a mix of attacks, blocks and an ace. Brazil’s offence never found rhythm, with no player scoring more than seven in the straight-set defeat.
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France also rebounded in Pool D, defeating Ukraine 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 20-25, 25-17) with resilience in the tight early sets before closing strong. Ukraine pushed hard in the first two frames and even snatched the third with spirited play, but France’s response was decisive as they raised their level in the fourth to finish the job comfortably. Adrien Roure spearheaded the win with 15 points built on 13 attacks and two blocks, while Thomas Pujol added 12. Maksym Tonkonoh led Ukraine with 16, yet France’s balance and composure in the key rallies proved the difference.
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Argentina capped the day by outlasting Indonesia 3-2 (23-25, 27-25, 23-25, 25-20, 15-13), earning their second win in four matches. The South Americans finished with 71 attack points to fuel the comeback, with Fausto Diaz delivering 27 and Iñaki Ramos adding 20. Dawuda Alaihimas Salam kept Indonesia in contention with a match-high 30, but after splitting the first four sets in a series of narrow finishes, Argentina’s sharper focus in the decisive moments of the tiebreak secured the result.
2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship: full schedule
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