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Slovenia in the quarterfinals if they win while Netherlands fate in Serbias hands as well

The group is finely balanced, and everybody can drop out except Finland. In case Slovenia wins the match, they will go through along with Serbia, but if Netherlands wins Slovenes fate is in Serbias hands

Netherlands lost for the second time in the championship and is currently the only team without a victory. Against Slovenia, they need to win in order to stay on the tournament. They missed a good opportunity against Serbia when 2-0 in the lead in sets, but it must be said that Serbia outplayed them in the last three sets (25-19, 25-18, 15-25, 17-25- 12-15).

Coach Benne fielded the same team as yesterday . Abdel-Aziz was the setter, middle blockers Kooistra i Koelewijn, recievers Maan i Rauwerdink, the opposite Klapwijk, while libero was Jorna.

The match was balanced in the beginning, the teams taking turns in the lead. At that point the Dutch team started to win. The second set saw a similar outcome, with a balanced game until the Dutch started their 6-1 series, and kept the advantage up until the end of the set. 

Third set was a completely different story. Serbia’s head coach substituted three players and the change was obvious. After 4-4 Serbia started taking the lead, the Dutch had no answer and lost several points in a row which led to a 15-25 score. The fourth set was n repetition of the third- the Dutch were in the lead 1-0 for the first and the last time in the set. Serbia took their fate in to their own hands for the decisive set.2-2

Netherlands put up a fight in the fifth. After 5-5 they lost three points in a row, Serbia takes the lead, but the Dutch remained steadfast, cutting down the advantage to 9-11, and later to 13-14 but due to faulty reception lost in the end.
Klapwijk scored the most 14 points but with only 38% efficiency, and Maan with 14 points as well. Koelewijn and Rauwerdnik 10 each. They lost on blocking 10-14 and made more mistakes in the second part of the match.

- It was as if we played two matches, one where we won 2-0 the other that we lost 3-0. Serbia were insecure in the beginning, but when they raised the level of their gameplay we could not parry. We oscillated, not that we were bad, we just were not good enough. We made too many mistakes, but our motivation is as good as ever and we are ready to beat Slovenia. -  Head coach Benn said.

They last played a friendly match in November 2011 when Netherlands won 3-2 in sets.

The duel of Slovenia and Finland was important on several levels and it was the Slovenes who were empty handed in the end. In a balanced match the details prevailed. Slovenia won the first set, but lost the next three. (27-25, 23-25, 22-25, 21-25). They now must win if they mean to continue playing in the tournament.

Coach Slabe decided to change the setter, so Vincic started instead of Ropret. The rest of the team was the same, so the middle blockers were Kamnik and Pajenk, the receivers Cebulj and Urnaut with the opposite Gasparini. Miha plot was the libero. 

First set was evenly balanced, in spite of Finland being a few points in the lead. Slovenia started to improve and through Kamniks block got their first set point at 24-22. They did not use it, it took them three more points to win

Second set was similar, Slovenia took the lead at 9-8, but the Finns win three points, then Slovenia draws the set at 16-16 and later on at 22-22. Finland gets the set point and with Gasparinis shot in the out the match was tied 1-1

Slovenia started the third set by leading 3-0 but lost the advantage soon after. Finland takes the lead once again at 16-13 and Slabe sends Ropret in the fray, substituting Vincic. He tried a time out, but Slovenia still lost the set for 2-1.

They opened the fourth set with a 4-2 advantage but lost it and fell 6 points behind. They reduced the score to 13-15 and later at 18-19, but they were out of energy by that point. Finland had a 6-1 series for the final 3-1 victory-

- They were more successful at taming our serves, and in that respect were superior. On counterstrikes, we were impatient, and made too many errors. They were better on services and receiving, and that resolved the game. Boys know what we are after, and I’m not worried about their reactions tomorrow- coach Slabe said and the team captain added:

 -We are going for a victory, and I hope we will get it. We will try to play like Finland played today

Netherlands and Slovenia will decide their fate in the tournament in a direct duel. Slovenia is in a better position because it would secure the next round with victory, while the Netherlands would have to wait the outcome of the Serbia-Finland game and hope for the defeat of Serbia. Both teams have shown that they have quality, but they fail to hold it for the entire match and have difficulty winning 3-0. Slovenia has played its best game in the first round against Serbia when it won 3-1 in the match of 184 points . Then followed the defeat against Finland, and the match ended at 193 points. The Dutch have lost both of their matches, first against Finland (192 points), and yesterday they missed a 2-0 lead and lost (196 points). Today the nerves will definitely be at play, the stakes are high, and both teams have so far shown that they have no power to win games without losing a set. Although it was friendly, their last match ended on 214 points, and this margin of 183.5 points is considered to be too low and attainable, because I expect an exciting match and it would not surprise me to go to the very end and the fifth set. Bet365, Bwin and Marathon border held at 185.5, which is still a profitable margin, by which it pays off to play.