Poland fight back from two sets down to beat Ukraine 3-2 and close VNL Linyi week with a rollercoaster win

Early dominance by Ukraine

Ukraine seized control from the first whistle. Dmytro Yanchuk's serving run late in the first set broke an 18-17 deadlock, and Ukraine pulled away to win 25-19. The second set followed the same script: Vasyl Tupchii and Illa Kovalov powered the attack while Poland struggled in reception and on the wings. Another 2-0 lead became a 25-18 victory, leaving Poland on the brink of a three-set defeat.

Polish resurgence

Trailing 0-2 and staring at a third consecutive tie-break loss, head coach Nikola Grbić turned to his bench. Aliaksei Nasevich replaced Bartosz Gomułka at opposite, while Michał Gierżot and Szymon Jakubiszak were brought into the rotation. Poland began to dig more balls and find counter-attack opportunities. They took the third set 25-22, then maintained the momentum in the fourth. A sharper service game and kills from Aleksander Śliwka guided them to a 25-21 win, forcing a deciding set.

Decisive tie-break

The fifth set stayed tight, but Poland held a slim edge. Key plays from the bench players kept Ukraine at arm's length, and the Poles closed it out 15-11 to complete a comeback few saw coming. Nasevich led all scorers with 19 points, while Bartłomiej Lemański added 12 and Gierżot 11. For Ukraine, Yanchuk and Tupchii combined for 25 points but could not seal the deal.

Grbić's reaction

Grbić stressed that the mental turnaround mattered more than the final score.

“It's not entirely about the result, but about the emotions we have after coming back from 0-2, how we bounce back from tough moments. I am most satisfied with that.”

He noted that Ukraine's attacking efficiency in the first two sets (75 percent) was exceptional, but that Poland began to elevate their energy and resilience.

Tournament context and what's next

The match was Poland's third five-setter in four outings in Linyi. Earlier, they beat Cuba 3-0, lost 2-3 to Slovenia and 2-3 to Japan. The two defeats cost them the number-one spot in the FIVB world rankings; they now sit second, nearly seven points behind Italy. The 3-2 win over Ukraine added only 0.10 points to their tally, doing little to close the gap. The VNL now shifts to Poland for the next round in Gliwice from 24 to 28 June, where Grbić's side will face Belgium, Turkey, Germany and Argentina.