BOUNCING back from a first-set setback, Czechia turned back Iran yesterday, 22-25, 27-25, 25-20, 25-21, and advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Thanks to opposite spiker Patrik Indra who led the squad with 22 points, Czechia advanced to its first-ever semifinal appearance in the prestigious tournament, its best-ever finish so far since the separation of Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 199s.
“I still don’t understand what just happened. It will take some time for sure. I cannot find the words… Against Brazil, it was [a tough loss] we lost by a lot and after that, it’s like a fairytale,” said Indra, still in disbelief that they are in the Top Four.
The Czechs’ previous highest place ever, excluding the times when they were still part of Czechoslovakia, was 10th in the 2010 edition.
Czechia lost to Brazil in straight sets in their second game in pool play but scored three straight wins to reach the semis, where the Central Europeans will face the winner of the USA-Bulgaria matchup later in the day.
The semifinals are set on Saturday at the same venue.
“Historic moment for us. Our team, for the moment, has no limits. We take the games as they come, we prepare and we play together and this is the result,” said coach Jiri Novak as his team, ranked 21st at the start of the tournament, is now among the last four nations remaining.
“I don’t know if the guys will celebrate. I have to stay in the hall and watch the other quarterfinals. You know, the coaches work and the players play, it’s like that. And everybody together we enjoy after,” he said.
The last time the squad entered the Final Four of the World Championship was back in 1970, when they were still representing Czechoslovakia.
Czechia, since the split, finished 19th in 1998, 13th in 2002 and 2006 editions, and 10th in 2010.
Battling a resilient Iran side that won two straight five-setter games, including one against Alas Pilipinas, to reach the quarterfinals, Czechia made sure not to let the game extend to a fifth and deciding frame.
Indra led Czechia with 20-of-29 spikes while Lukas Vasina added with 21 points on 19-of-31 attacks.
Antonin Klimes added eight points while Jan Galabov and Adam Zajicek contributed seven points each for the semifinalists.
The Iranians, the last Asian nation to fall in the tournament, ended their campaign with heads held high as they competed well without superstar Amin Esmaeilnezhad.
Poriya Hossein Khanzadeh and Ali Hajipour delivered 18 points for Iran while captain Morteza Sharifi was held to just 11 points.
