Women's Volleyball European Championship: Austria also loses to Czech Republic

For Austria, every ball counted in Brno, but the team rarely found an answer against the Czechs' forceful serve reception and versatile attacking play. The reception came under pressure on multiple occasions, significantly weakening their own attack and repeatedly disrupting the Austrian side's rhythm.

Captain Kora Schaberl, who had already been among the most notable players in the opening match against Serbia, was unable to prevent the game from going in the wrong direction early against the Czech Republic either. Her efforts from the diagonal position alone were not enough to offset the hosts' clear superiority.

Schwab's team seeks a turnaround

Coach Roland Schwab had emphasized beforehand that the team wanted to play bravely in Brno, but against the Czech defense, which allowed very little, the offensive courage was largely invisible for long stretches. The few successful actions were not enough to find a way into a set.

The Austrian team remains the only one in Group B without a set won. The 0:6 in the set differential highlights the scale of the task now facing the Austrian women. A significant improvement in performance is required as early as the next matchday to preserve their chances of reaching the knockout round.

Table after matchday two

In the other matches of matchday two, Bulgaria celebrated an opening victory and joined Serbia (1:0, 3:0 sets, 3 points) and the Czech Republic (2:0, 6:1 sets, 6 points) at the top of the table. Greece stands with 2 points after one win and one loss, while Ukraine is behind Austria in fifth place after two defeats (0:2, 2:6 sets, 1 point).

Looking at the standings, the situation is becoming uncomfortable for Austria. The upcoming fixtures will show whether Roland Schwab's team can pull off a turnaround or exit title contention early. Rebuilding confidence after two clear defeats is likely to be the biggest challenge in the coming days.

The statistics underline the host's upward trend: "Group B in Brno | 1. | Czech Republic | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6:1 | 6". After two matchdays, the Czech Republic already has six points to their name and has pulled clear of the competition.