Czechia looks to extend its dream run and reach the finals for the first time in 59 years as it battles Bulgaria in the 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship semifinals.
Czechia looks to keep its dream run alive when it faces Bulgaria in the semifinals of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship on Saturday, September 27, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Fresh from a 22-25, 27-25, 25-20, 25-21 triumph over Iran in the quarterfinals, the Czechs are back in the semifinals of the world stage for the first time in 55 years since Czechoslovakia’s title-winning campaign in 1966.
This marks their first-ever appearance in the Final Four as Czechia, a milestone in itself, with the chance to reach the championship match for the first time since their golden era.
Patrik Indra led the way with 22 points against Iran, while Lukas Vasina added 21 markers.
[ALSO READ: Patrik Indra proud of Czechia’s historic FIVB MWCH run: ‘We’re living our dreams’]
Their balanced performance underscored a group playing with poise and hunger on the biggest stage.
Standing in their way is Bulgaria, which pulled off a stunning comeback over the USA in the quarterfinals, capped by Aleksandar Nikolov’s 29-point explosion.
But with Czechia already rewriting history, another breakthrough could be within reach as they aim for a return to the Finals after nearly six decades.
First serve is at 2:30 p.m.
[ALSO READ: Final Four: Poland, Italy, Bulgaria, Czechia left standing in FIVB Men’s World Championship]
(With reports from Kiko Demigillo)
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[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.]