The U-19 national volleyball team suffered an extremely painful loss in the quarterfinals of the World Championship in Tashkent, losing to Spain with a final score of 2:3 (26:24, 25:19, 17:25, 17:25, 8:15).
The Bulgarian talents started the match in a strong lineup with captain Jasmin Velichkov, including Ivan Uzunov, Nikolay Nikolaev, Martin Totkov, Deyan Marinov, and Nikola Konstantinov. Initially, the Spanish team led by two or three points, but Bulgaria managed to turn the score around.
Key moments in the first game included a series of blocks by Velichkov, which allowed the Bulgarian team to win the dramatic first part with 26:24. In the second game, the home volleyball players demonstrated complete dominance, winning convincingly with 25:19.
The turnaround began in the third game, when Bulgaria made a series of critical mistakes. The Spanish players managed to build a solid lead and won the game with 25:17. The fourth game followed a similar scenario, with the Spanish team gradually increasing its advantage.
The decisive tiebreaker was entirely under the control of the Spanish team. At 14:8, they received the first of their six match points, which they realized directly with an ace serve.
The individual performances of the Bulgarian players failed to compensate for the overall performance. Captain Jasmin Velichkov stood out as the most productive with 19 points (13 from attack, 5 blocks, and 1 ace). Deyan Marinov added 15 points, while Nikolay Nikolaev and Nikola Konstantinov - 11 points each.
The statistics showed a categorical superiority of the Spanish team in key elements such as attack and serve. The only strong point of the Bulgarian team remained the block - with a score of 19:12.
Coach Miroslav Zhivkov made several attempts to change the course of the match through tactical breaks and substitutions, but they failed to stop the Spanish team's advancement.
Despite the loss, the young Bulgarian volleyball players showed potential and character, especially during the first two games. The most impressive player in the match was the Spaniard Irecha, who finished with an incredible 31 points.
With this loss, Bulgaria was eliminated from the competition, while Spain continues forward in the important tournament.