Croatia's U20 women's volleyball team recorded their second major victory at the World Championship, defeating Spain 3-1 in sets and boosting their chances of reaching the round of 16.
Croatia's U20 women's volleyball team continues to impress at the World Championship. After a sensational 3-2 win over Brazil in the tournament opener, head coach Svetlana Ilić's side produced another upset on Sunday, August 9, 2026, defeating a strong Spanish team 3-1 in sets (29:27, 25:22, 22:25, 25:19).
The first set was a tight affair, with neither team able to build a significant lead. In a dramatic finish, Croatia kept their cool and edged it 29:27. Spain showed their teeth in the second set, taking an 12:8 lead, but Croatia responded brilliantly. They won seven consecutive points, completely turned the set around, and eventually took it 25:22.
The Spanish side refused to give up and won the third set 25:22, although Croatia managed to erase the deficit and level at 21:21 late on. The pivotal moment came in the fourth set. Croatia struggled early on, falling behind 12:4. A fifth set seemed inevitable, but the young Croats showed incredible character, going on a 14:3 run to turn the score to 18:15. Shocked by that comeback, Spain never recovered, and Croatia closed out the set 25:19 to seal a famous victory.
Emilie Stojić and Erin Ivezić were the top scorers for Croatia, each contributing 21 points. Captain Lana Drviš, daughter of renowned Croatian boxer Stipe Drviš, added 14 points and played a key role in the triumph. After the comeback in the fourth set, celebrations were wild, with the players marking the win to the tune of Pekija and Vojko V's hit "Ganga i Rera."
With this win, Croatia has collected five points from three matches. Combined with the earlier victory over Brazil and a loss to Japan (0:3), a place in the round of 16 is now very much within reach. The next test for Svetlana Ilić's team comes on Monday at 8 PM Croatian time, when they face Poland.
