Slovenia reached the Men’s VNL 2026 semifinals with a straight-sets win over Türkiye, but the 3-0 scoreline concealed two extraordinary finishes. After taking the opener 25-21, the Slovenians survived 35-33 and 39-37 marathons as Rok Možič scored 25 points and Türkiye’s error count proved decisive.

Slovenia eliminated Türkiye in the first of the Men’s VNL 2026 quarterfinals, winning 25-21, 35-33 and 39-37 in Ningbo. The match lasted only three sets, yet the teams played 190 points and remained separated by the minimum margin through most of the final two sets.

The result confirmed the direction identified in our pre-match preview: Slovenia had more reliable support around their main scorers and handled the decisive rallies better. Türkiye scored more points through attack, block and serve, but gave away ten more points through errors.

Slovenia now advance to the semifinals, where they will face the winner of Poland vs Ukraine.

Match Details

Slovenia Punish Türkiye’s Errors in the First Set

Türkiye made the better start and moved 2-0 ahead. Their small advantage remained until 10-8, but Slovenia then steadied their side-out game, levelled the score and moved in front at 11-10.

The first clear break came when Slovenia opened a 17-13 lead. Türkiye responded with three consecutive points and eventually recovered to 20-20, but the comeback stopped there. Slovenia won the next two rallies, restored control and closed the set 25-21.

The numbers showed why the result was not primarily about attacking quality. Türkiye recorded 13 kills to Slovenia’s 12, the teams were level at three blocks each, and Türkiye scored the only ace of the set. The decisive gap came from errors: Türkiye gave away ten points, while Slovenia conceded only four.

Možič Leads Slovenia Through a 35-33 Marathon

Slovenia again opened 2-0, but Türkiye quickly levelled at 4-4 and moved ahead 5-4. The set remained balanced until 12-12, when Slovenia produced a short run and created a three-point advantage at 15-12.

Türkiye gradually rebuilt the set, tied the score at 19-19 and moved 23-22 ahead late in the regulation phase. Slovenia answered immediately, first levelling and then earning the opening set point at 24-23.

That was the start of an extended side-out battle. Both teams repeatedly found a first-ball solution, and neither could hold a two-point lead. Možič became Slovenia’s main option under pressure, scoring the team’s 23rd, 24th, 25th, 27th, 28th and 30th points during the first part of the marathon finish.

The final rally ended when Türkiye’s opposite attacked into the net. Türkiye challenged for a possible block touch, but the replay showed no contact and Slovenia took the set 35-33.

Slovenia produced 23 kills from 44 attacks in the set, while Türkiye finished with 20 from 38 and held a 6-2 blocking advantage. The Turkish pressure at the net was real, but eight service errors repeatedly removed the chance to build on it. Možič scored nine points in the set, all in attack.

Slovenia Survive Nine Set Points to Complete the Sweep

For much of the third set, Slovenia appeared to be moving toward a more comfortable finish. From 14-12, they extended the gap to 17-12 and later 19-14 without facing a critical stretch.

Türkiye changed the direction of the set with a five-point recovery and closed to 19-18. After a Slovenian timeout, Možič restored a two-point margin with a pipe attack and then added a clever tip into the conflict zone for 21-18.

Yüksel responded with an attack and a block, reducing the difference to 21-20, and Türkiye later levelled at 22-22. Slovenia received their 23rd point only after a video review and reached match point at 24-23 when Kržić finished a difficult rally with a block.

Türkiye saved it and moved ahead 25-24 through Bayram after repeatedly slowing Slovenia’s attacks at the net. From there, the third set became another test of nerve. Türkiye earned nine separate set points, but Slovenia answered every one of them.

The lead changed hands through attacks from Kozamernik, Mujanović, Yüksel and Lagumdzija. Tümer missed a first-tempo attack at 31-31, then immediately corrected the error on the next rally. Bayram’s block put Türkiye 33-32 ahead, and the Turkish team later led 34-33, 35-34, 36-35 and 37-36.

At 37-36, Možič first recycled the ball off the block and then received a second attacking chance before Türkiye touched the net. He followed that point with the decisive break attack for 38-37.

Türkiye struggled on the final reception, and the next attack was stopped by Mujanović. Slovenia completed the sweep with a 39-37 win in the third set.

Errors Decide an Otherwise Even Match

The final statistics underline how misleading the straight-sets score can be. Türkiye held the advantage in blocks and aces, passed more positively and scored more points through direct actions. Slovenia won because they protected the match from their own mistakes and defended more rallies.

Türkiye scored 73 points through attack, block and serve, compared with Slovenia’s 71. The match turned on the error column: Slovenia received 28 points from Turkish mistakes, while Türkiye gained only 18 from Slovenia. That ten-point difference was larger than the final eight-point gap in total scoring.

Türkiye’s 14-11 blocking edge and 3-2 advantage in aces confirm that the team created enough pressure to win at least one set. Slovenia, however, recorded 76 digs to Türkiye’s 64 and repeatedly extended rallies at the moments when one clean Turkish transition could have changed the match.

Možič and Mujanović Deliver in Different Ways

Možič led Slovenia with 25 points, all from attack, converting 25 of 43 swings. His value was not limited to the final total. He became the first option during the 35-33 second-set finish, stopped Türkiye’s third-set comeback with a pipe attack and scored the break point that created Slovenia’s final match point.

Mujanović finished with 20 points: 15 attacks, three blocks and two aces. Türkiye blocked nine of his attacks, but he remained involved through the difficult moments and delivered the block that ended the match.

Sašo Štalekar added nine points and Jan Kozamernik scored eight, giving Slovenia important production through the middle. Kozamernik converted six of nine attacks across the match.

Adis Lagumdzija led Türkiye with 21 points, including 20 attacks and one ace. Tümer added 11 points, while Yüksel and Bayram scored ten each. Türkiye had enough secondary scoring and net pressure, but their good phases were repeatedly interrupted by errors.

What the Result Means

Slovenia return to the VNL semifinals after one of the least comfortable straight-sets wins possible. The 3-0 result reflects their ability to finish close sets rather than a wide technical advantage over Türkiye.

For Türkiye, the first VNL Finals appearance ends with a scoreline that does not fully reflect their competitiveness. They led late in both extended sets, won the blocking and serving battles and produced more direct scoring points. The remaining step is to reduce the stretches in which errors erase that work.

Slovenia will face the winner of Poland vs Ukraine in the semifinal.

Quick Summary

• Slovenia defeated Türkiye 3-0 in the Men’s VNL 2026 quarterfinal.
• The set scores were 25-21, 35-33 and 39-37.
• Türkiye scored more points through attack, block and serve, 73-71.
• Slovenia gained 28 points from Turkish errors; Türkiye received 18 from Slovenia.
• Rok Možič led Slovenia with 25 points; Nik Mujanović added 20.
• Adis Lagumdzija was Türkiye’s top scorer with 21 points.
• Slovenia advance to face Poland or Ukraine in the semifinal.

Last updated: 29 July 2026.