Slovenia will head into the Round of 16 after securing the final ticket in Pool E against Germany in the 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship.
Slovenia will live to fight another day after outlasting Germany in four sets, 25-21, 17-25, 31-29, 25-22, to advance to the Round of 16 of the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday.
The Slovenians fought tooth-and-nail against the Germans to secure the last ticket to the next round in Pool E, joining Bulgaria.
After a gritty third-set victory, Slovenia used that momentum to pull ahead early against the frustrated German squad, building its largest lead at 15-9.
Germany, however, would not go away that easily as they slowly chipped the deficit away before tying the count at 18-all.
Still tied at 21, three-straight points courtesy of Nik Mujanovic and Ziga Stern put Slovenia at match point, before a service error by Erik Rohrs ultimately sealed the victory.
Toncek Stern top-scored for the world no. 6 Slovenians with 18 points built on 15 attacks and three blocks. Stern and Mujanovic added 14 markers each.
Slovenia will now head into the Round of 16 and will face Team USA, who topped Pool D.
Their Round of 16 match will be on Monday, September 22, still at the MOA Arena.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.