Drazen Luburić dominated the court with an impressive 20-point performance, leading Serbia to a commanding 3-0 victory over Ukraine in Ljubljana. The win couldn't have come at a better time for the Serbians, who finally snapped their lengthy losing streak and climbed out of last place in the VNL 2025 standings.
The Serbian side looked rejuvenated throughout the match, with Pavle Perić and Marko Ivović contributing 12 and 11 points respectively to the successful team effort. Worth noting that this victory keeps Serbia alive in their fight to avoid relegation – something that seemed almost impossible just days ago.
Despite the loss, Ukraine remains in the top eight of the tournament. Vasyl Tupchii put up a valiant effort with 15 points, but his teammates Yanchuk and Semeniuk couldn't generate enough firepower to match Serbia's determined play.
Meanwhile, in Gdańsk, the French squad had to dig deep. Théo Faure led "France" to a hard-fought five-set victory over "Cuba" (20-25, 25-15, 23-25, 25-21, 15-9), propelling his team to third place in the standings. Faure's 20-point showing, complemented by Trévor Clévenot's 18 points, proved decisive in the marathon match.
"Cuba" – winners of their previous two matches – stayed competitive throughout. Jose Masso (17 points) and Marlon Yant (16 points) kept the Cubans in contention, but they ultimately couldn't close out what would have been another upset win.
By the way, this loss stings particularly for the Cubans, who had been riding high after their recent victories. Can they bounce back in their next fixture? The VNL certainly isn't short on drama this season.
