September 15, 2025

Bulgaria survives Slovenia in five sets to secure Round of 16 spot at FIVB Worlds

Bulgaria survives Slovenia in five sets to secure Round of 16 spot at FIVB Worlds
Bulgaria to the Round of 16 after a tense finish vs. Slovenia. Photo: Volleyball World

Bulgaria avoided a collapse and booked an early ticket to the Round of 16 after outlasting Slovenia, 25-19, 25-14, 18-25, 23-25, 15-13, in Pool E of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship on Monday, September 15, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Behind a strong start, Bulgaria stormed to a two-set lead before Slovenia clawed back to force a decider.

In the end, Aleksandar Nikolov powered the Bulgarians to safety with 26 points, leading the way in the tense fifth set where he scored six markers.

The victory lifted Bulgaria to a 2-0 record and secured its spot in the knockout rounds.

Slovenia, meanwhile, dropped to 0-2 and now faces a do-or-die clash against Germany to keep its tournament hopes alive.


[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]

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