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Türkiye advanced to the semifinals of the 2026 CEV Women's European Volleyball Championship after defeating Germany 3-1 at the Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Istanbul, a city in northwestern Türkiye, on Thursday.
The reigning champions won the first, third and fourth sets 25-18, 25-18 and 25-22, while Germany took the second set 25-22. Melissa Vargas finished as the match's leading scorer with 26 points, including eight in the opening set with four aces. Ilkin Aydin added seven points in the first set.
Türkiye made a strong start, taking a 5-1 lead in the opening set and forcing Germany to call an early timeout. Germany narrowed the gap before Türkiye pulled away again to close out the set 25-18.
Germany opened the second set with a 6-1 lead and held on to win it 25-22, leveling the match at 1-1. Türkiye regained control in the third set, building an 8-5 advantage before extending it to 12-6 and closing out the set 25-18.
The fourth set was tightly contested early, with Türkiye ahead 9-7 before opening a five-point lead at 21-16. Germany attempted a comeback, but Türkiye held on to win 25-22 and take the match 3-1.
Türkiye head coach Daniele Santarelli said the team felt pressure during the quarterfinal, adding that the perspective on the match shifted slightly in the final set. He said Germany played a strong match and made things difficult, but that Türkiye's performance was good overall despite tensing up late.
Speaking about the upcoming semifinal against Serbia, Santarelli said all four remaining teams deserved their place in the final stages, adding that Serbia currently has a complete squad without clear weaknesses.
He said Türkiye has a high chance against any opponent if the team continues playing its best volleyball with fan support.
Team captain Eda Erdem said both sides competed well on the court and congratulated the German national team for a strong defensive performance.
She said Türkiye started the first set well, found its rhythm again late in the second set despite an energy dip, and came out stronger in the third.
Erdem said the team stayed positive through fluctuations in the fourth set and credited substitute players for their contribution, describing the win as a complete team effort. She added that Serbia and Türkiye know each other well due to shared league experience, and that the semifinal is expected to be a high-quality match.
Türkiye will face Serbia in the semifinal in Istanbul on Saturday. The EES rollout is part of a broader EU effort to modernize external border management across the Schengen Area.
Non-European travelers, including visitors from the United States, the United Kingdom and other non-EU countries, are among those subject to the new biometric registration requirements.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
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