Poland sweeps past Germany 3-1 in Volleyball Nations League after losing opener in Gliwice
Poland broke a run of five-set thrillers with a commanding 3-1 win over Germany in Gliwice, fuelled by Bartłomiej Bołądź's 21 points and Wilfredo Leon's return from a six-week break.
Poland ended a streak of tie-break matches in the Volleyball Nations League with a resounding four-set victory against Germany on Saturday evening. After dropping the opening set 23-25, the hosts seized control in front of 11,600 fans at Arena Gliwice, taking the next three frames 25-16, 25-17 and 25-15.
- Set 1 (lost)
- 23
- Set 2
- 25
- Set 3
- 25
- Set 4
- 25
Hosts rally after early wobble
The first set saw Germany edge ahead at 23-20 before Poland fought back to level at 23 each. A point from the visitors and a sharp cross-court attack by Erik Roehrs then decided the opener. From that moment, however, Nikola Grbić's side tightened defence and blocking to stifle the German offence.
I am happy with how we looked in the last three sets. We showed aggression and concentration.
Bołądź continues scoring streak
Bartłomiej Bołądź followed up his match-winning performance against Turkey with another dominant display. He racked up 21 points at 70% attack efficiency, adding four aces and one block. Grbić called it one of the attacker's best outings in the national team jersey.
He played a really fantastic match against Turkey and against Germany showed he is in truly good form.
Squad changes bring fresh energy
Injury to setter Jan Firlej forced a late call-up for Marcel Bakaj, who entered the game in the third set. First-choice libero Jakub Popiwczak and outside hitter Wilfredo Leon, both rested earlier in the tournament, returned to the starting six. Leon, playing his first match after a break of roughly six weeks, contributed 17 points. Coach Grbić noted his attacking and serving were sharp, though reception dipped as the match progressed.
German media voice qualification fears
German outlets described the result as sobering. With three wins and four defeats in this year's Nations League, the team sits 12th in the table, making a top-eight finish increasingly difficult. Journalists pointed to Poland's dominance after the first set and said qualification for the finals had become a daunting challenge.
Gliwice finale awaits
The tournament in Gliwice concludes on Sunday. Poland face Argentina at 20:00, while China take on Germany earlier in the afternoon and Belgium meet Turkey at 16:30. Saturday's win keeps the hosts unbeaten in the Polish leg after earlier five-set victories over Belgium and Turkey.
