A SHOCKER IN CUBAO. Turkiye men's national volleyball team scores a straight-set triumph over higher ranked Japan at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship on September 13, 2025. Volleyball WorldMANILA — World No. 16 Turkiye is off to a winning start in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, stunning 5th-ranked Japan in straight-set fashion, 25-19, 25-23, 25-19, on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Ramazan Efe Mandiraci and Adis Lagumdzija were the offensive weapons in the shocker, firing 17 and 15 points respectively to lift the lower-ranked squad over the Filipino fan favorites in Pool G action.
"We played really good. Tactically, my players played good volleyball. You know our problem at some moments in discipline. The other side played with great discipline and against our players with fantastic technique. Today, we stopped that especially because we served and blocked really good," Turkiye coach Slobodan Kovac told reporters after the game.
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In the same group, Canada also scored a hard-earned four-set win against Libya, 22-25, 25-20, 25-12, 29-17.
Earlier in the day, Team USA, led by star Micah Christenson, made a statement win over Colombia, 25-20, 25-21, 25-14, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Portugal, ranked 29th in the world, also scored an upset against World No. 10 Cuba, completing a four-set 20-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-19.