The 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship witnessed its first five-set thriller on Sunday, as Argentina pulled off a stunning comeback to topple Finland, 19-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-11, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
After dropping the first two sets, the South Americans roared back behind the firepower of opposite Pablo Kukartsev and outside hitter Luciano Vicentín, completing a reverse sweep that kept their Pool C campaign off to a perfect start.
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Kukartsev spearheaded the charge with 20 points — 16 kills, three blocks, and an ace — while Vicentín added 19 points on 18 kills and a block, turning the tide in Argentina’s favor after a shaky start.
“We struggled a lot in the first two sets, but that’s kind of normal as this is the first match in the tournament,” said setter Luciano De Cecco.
“We tried very hard to win the match, and we put a lot of effort into it. A victory in the opening match can take you a long way, and we’re happy that we got it.”
Despite producing more kills (66-57) and blocks (14-11) than Argentina, Finland was undone by 33 unforced errors compared to Argentina’s 22.
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Finland, meanwhile, boasted a balanced offense, with four players reaching double digits in scoring.
Jonas Jokela led all scorers with 26 points, followed by Luka Martilla (18), Petteri Tyynismaa (17), and Severi Savonsalmi (11).
