Poland Beats USA to End 48-Year Wait to Reach Olympic Volleyball Finals

By janimonow on August 8, 2024

Poland's men's volleyball team achieved a historic victory on Wednesday, defeating the United States in an exhilarating five-set semifinal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This win marks Poland's first return to the Olympic volleyball finals since their gold medal victory in 1976.

Match Highlights

Wilfredo Leon's Stellar Performance: Leon was the standout player for Poland, scoring 26 points. His performance was pivotal in overcoming the American comeback.
Final Score: Poland triumphed with scores of 25-23, 25-27, 14-25, 25-23, and 15-13.

Poland, which had consistently fallen in the quarterfinals since 2004, will now face either Italy or the defending champions, France, in the gold medal match.

"We were ready to have a long game today. You know that they fight hard and they did, so that's all we were expecting. Unfortunately for them we won this match, so I'm really happy and excited," Leon said.

He added, "You can imagine how hard I was fighting to be in this tournament first and then to arrive in the final. Now we are in the final. This game is done already, so we need to be focused now on the final match."

Match Progression

Opening Set: Leon set the tone with a kill on the first point. Despite a strong rally from the U.S., Poland secured the set 25-23.
Second Set: The teams were neck-and-neck. The U.S. eventually drew level at 25-25 after Erik Shoji set up a spike for Matthew Anderson, followed by a block error by Marcin Janusz from Aaron Russell's shot, ending the set at 27-25 in favor of the U.S.
Third Set: Dominated by the U.S., who turned the match around with a strong defense, winning 25-14.
Fourth Set: Despite initial struggles and the U.S. taking the lead, Poland's coach Nikola Grbic called a crucial timeout. Leon's kills and aces helped Poland take the set 25-23.
Final Set: Poland capitalized on U.S. errors, advancing on their fourth match point when a U.S. block attempt off Leon's attack went long, securing the set 15-13.

Looking Ahead

Leon expressed his anticipation for the final, stating, "Believe me, we will make a big step in history. On my personal part, I will make a big step in history too, so I cannot wait for it."

Poland's advancement to the final not only revives their Olympic hopes but also sets the stage for a historic match as they aim for their first gold medal in nearly five decades.