Ukraine survived a serious scare in Sweden on 1 July 2017, edging the home side 3-2 in a tense five-set battle in the European Volleyball League. The away win kept Ukraine firmly in contention at the top of their group, while Sweden were left to rue a missed opportunity after pushing one of the tournament's stronger outfits to the limit.

Match overview

Sweden entered the match determined to make life difficult for Ukraine, and that is exactly what happened. The home side matched Ukraine's intensity in the first two sets, trading points with the visitors and showing impressive attacking ambition from the wings. Ukraine, however, have developed a habit of finding answers in tight moments, and this match tested that resilience again. After splitting the opening sets, the two teams traded blows deep into the night before Ukraine finally claimed control in the deciding set.

Key moments

• Ukraine's blocking unit grew stronger as the match went on, disrupting Sweden's key hitters in the crucial stages.
• Sweden's reception came under heavy pressure from Ukrainian serves, creating scoring opportunities for the visitors on broken plays.
• A dramatic fifth set saw Ukraine race to an early lead and protect it with calm, disciplined volleyball.

Turning point

The decisive moment arrived in the fifth set. Sweden had momentum on their side after leveling the match, but Ukraine struck first and never allowed the home team to settle. Led by a composed performance from their setter and an explosive output from the opposite position, Ukraine opened a gap that Sweden could not close. The final points were managed with the authority of a team that has played many five-set matches on the international stage.

For Sweden, the narrow defeat will hurt, but there were plenty of positives. They matched Ukraine for long stretches and proved they belong at this level of the European League. For Ukraine, the 3-2 away victory was a statement of character and a valuable result in the standings, adding two points to their group tally and strengthening their push toward the European League Finals.