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Slovakia outlasted Albania and extended their record to 5-0, but only after allowing the Balkan side to extend the match to four sets.

Albania led through most of the third set and even entered the final stages with a three-point advantage at 20-23. But Slovakia rallied for a four-point run to reach match point at 24-23. Nonetheless, Albania persevered and denied the pool leaders a straight-set win, bringing the third home on their own second match point.

Matej Patak and Filip Gavenda scored 19 points each as Slovakia dominated the game, but Anton Qafarena produced the match high of 23.

Setter Juraj Zatko earned his 250th cap for Slovakia in the match. He has taken part in six European Championships, continuously since 2009 and is now looking at his seventh appearance. Slovakia will be playing in their eighth European Championship in a row this year, since 2007.

Slovakia had mathematically secured first place in the pool and a direct ticket to EuroVolley 2021 earlier in the day when Switzerland dropped a point to Romania. Albania are still winless after five matches.

Marek Kardos, head coach of Slovakia: “We completed the task, with five wins in a row. As for the last match with Romania, we will make some changes to our starting six and change a little bit the rhythm of the game, because we will soon be contesting the European Golden League. I do hope it will be just a fine game. Until now we have played very well, and we have had everything under control except for the set that we lost today.”

Ioannis Melka, head coach of Albania: “As I said after the match with Romania, we have a young team and we have to learn from every match we play. Such matches help us to be better and to progress.”