The Bulgarian men's national volleyball team recorded a difficult but well-deserved victory over Ukraine in a Nations League match played in Ljubljana. The world vice-champions from the Philippines 2025 confirmed their class and won 3-1 (25:20, 18:25, 25:23, 25:17), with both established leaders and the team's new discovery – Denislav Bardarov – standing out during the match.
The Bulgarians started the match confidently, and the first set was won 25:20 after strong play at the block and service. Ukraine entered the match more sharply with the first point, realized with a tricky shot between the block and the net, but the "Lions" quickly responded with an accurate block-out following an attack by Asparuh Asparuhov. An ace from the Bulgarian number eight brought a 5:3 lead, but the Ukrainians managed to equalize at 8:8 and even take a 12:10 lead after a series of errors in the home court and a strong serve.
The reaction of the Bulgarian team was immediate. The block stabilized and our team regained the lead at 13:12 after two impressive defensive plays. Denislav Bardarov fully justified the trust placed in him – with a great attack he made the score 17:16, and another solid Bulgarian block increased it to 19:17. An attack by Alex Nikolov for 20:17 confirmed the advantage, and Simeon Nikolov put an end to the set with a clever play – 25:20.
The second part started excellently for Bulgaria – two consecutive points after attacks by Bardarov and Petkov provided an early advantage. The block, which worked at a high level throughout the match, shone again and the score became 6:4. In this set, however, the Ukrainians found a strong weapon in the service of Plotnytskyi, which seriously hindered the Bulgarian reception. Ukraine took an 8:6 lead and managed to solidify its advantage to 11:7.
The opponent continued to maintain the gap thanks to their stable attack and inaccuracies in the Bulgarian court – 18:13. Despite attempts at a comeback, the "Lions" were unable to catch up, and "equality was restored" after a convincing set for Ukraine – 25:18.
The third set turned into a real point-for-point battle. Both teams started evenly, but Bulgaria gradually imposed pressure. Our team went ahead 6:4 after a strong serve by Alex Nikolov and a successful attack by Bardarov. The Ukrainians managed to equalize at 9:9, showing that they would not give up easily.
In the key moments, the power of the Bulgarian attack came to the fore again. Successful hits by Alex Nikolov brought a 16:14 lead, and an ace by Simeon Nikolov provided extra comfort for the "world vice-champions". Bulgaria continued to accumulate points and took a 21:17 lead, but Ukraine responded with a series of strong plays and reduced the lead to just one point – 24:23. In the most tense moment, Asparuh Asparuhov showed composure and finished the set with an accurate attack, fixing the final 25:23.
The fourth set was decisive and the Bulgarians took to the court with the clear intention of ending the match. The part started with a service error by Ukraine, and then the game developed point for point. Plotnytskyi stepped up to the service line again and with an ace secured a 5:4 lead for his team, after which the Ukrainians managed to accumulate a 3-point lead – 11:8.
However, the Bulgarian team did not give in to the pressure. The "Lions" reduced the distance with an ace by Asparuh Asparuhov for 11:12, and equality came at 13:13. An attack by Alex Grozdanov turned the score in our favor, and a little later Alex Nikolov realized an important ace for 15:13. The difference grew to 20:14 after a series of excellent actions – a difficult serve by Alex Grozdanov and an impenetrable block that frustrated the Ukrainian attack.
At the end of the match, the stage belonged to Denislav Bardarov. The new discovery in the squad put a definitive end to the duel with two consecutive aces that brought the winning 25:17 in the fourth set. Thus, Bardarov finished the match with 16 points and became one of the heroes of the evening, while Alex Nikolov, "traditionally the top scorer," again topped the scoring charts with an impressive 26.
With the success over Ukraine, Bulgaria now has 5 wins in the tournament and continues to strengthen its positions among the leading teams in the "Nations League". The team shows character, depth in the squad, and the ability to turn around matches in which the opponent presents serious tactical and mental challenges.
The next challenge for the "Lions" will be on July 15, when they face "Poland" in Chicago. Expectations are high – the winning streak, the brilliant performance of leaders like Alex Nikolov, and the breakthrough of new names like Denislav Bardarov provide reason to believe that Bulgaria can continue to write its history in the volleyball elite.