Qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games. Women
Ningbo, China. Group A
September 24. Seventh round
Ukraine — Mexico 3-1 (25:12, 25:22, 22:25, 25:19)
The match between Ukraine and Mexico was the last for the national teams in the qualifying tournament for the 2024 Olympics. Therefore, of course, each of them wanted to end the competition on a high note. Ultimately, it was possible for the blue and yellows, to win their second consecutive victory.
Even though our opponents today have not won a single match in Group A, no one expected an easy walk. Already from the start, they demonstrated organized actions on the block and took the lead - 1:3.
However, Ivan Petkov's wards did not lag behind in this element either, due to which they seized the initiative. And thanks to successful attacks, they soon strengthened their success — 8:4. It should be noted that after that in the first set, there was only one team on the court - 25:12.
The Mexicans made conclusions during the break between games, in particular, improved their serve and aimed at attacking - 5:6. After an ace by the opposite Karena Rivera and an out by Yuliia Dymar, they led for the first time in this meeting with a difference of three points — 8:11.
After the time-out, the blue-yellow team made a successful run and leveled the score at 15:15. With the efforts of Diana Meliushkina and Viktoriia Danchak on the block, the Ukrainian team finally regained the lead — 19:18. This moment became a turning point in the set — 25:22.
Perhaps our volleyball players believed in their overall victory a little too early and lost their concentration momentarily. Rivals felt this moment and took full advantage, making the game more complicated and dramatically changing the score by the sets - 22:25.
Nicola Negro's team continued to cause us problems in the fourth set. When it seemed that the Ukrainians came to their senses (10:6), the Mexicans miraculously returned to the game - 13:17. Then our unit started working, and the national teams changed roles again - 20:17. Just take a look at these crazy "swings"! In the end, the blue-yellow team had the last word - 25:19.
This success allowed Ukraine to take sixth place in the tournament table, ahead of the Czech Republic.
Starting line-up of Ukraine: Daria Sharhorodska (6), Svitlana Dorsman (c) (24), Anastasiia Maievska (2), Oleksandra Milenko (10), Yuliia Dymar (15), Viktoriia Danchak (10), Krystyna Niemtseva (l) . Substitutes: Yevheniia Khober, Nadiia Kodola, Diana Meliushkina (6), Viktoriia Oliinyk.
