Mladost score away win as #CLVolleyM early rounds get underway
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Croatia’s Mladost ZAGREB claimed a 3-1 victory (25-21, 21-25, 25-21, 25-23) over rookies Kuutio Homes Pafiakos in Paphos in a highly competitive match that was ultimately decided by fine margins as the #CLVolleyM early rounds got underway on Tuesday night.
Both teams started strongly, with the visitors proving more effective at the crucial moments of the opening set. Mladost took the lead with a 25-21 win after 28 minutes. Pafiakos responded immediately in the second set. With solid defence and greater efficiency in attack, the hosts raised their level and levelled the match at 1-1, winning the set 25-21, also in 28 minutes.
The third set proved to be the most closely contested of the night. The two sides went point for point for most of the set, but Mladost increased the pressure in the decisive stages and showed greater consistency to win 25-21 after 29 minutes.
The Croatian side started the fourth set strongly, racing into an early 5-1 lead. Pafiakos fought back and pushed their opponents until the final points, but Mladost remained composed to take the set 25-23 and seal a 3-1 victory.
MVP Tsimafei Zhukouski of Mladost ZAGREB praised both teams after the match:
“The most important thing is that we won. Congratulations to my team and staff because we fought until the end, but also big congratulations to Pafiakos. They put us under a lot of pressure with their defence, serve and reception. We had to give our maximum in a difficult match.”
From the Pafiakos side, Nikolaos Eleftheriou stressed that little separated the two teams:
“The match was decided by details. We are at a similar level and we still have an important match next week. We will work on those details and go there aiming for the win.”