Belgium delivered one of the biggest shocks of Day 5 at the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, toppling defending champion Italy in a nail-biting five-set duel, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-13, on Tuesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ace spiker Ferrer Reggers led the charge, pouring in 31 points and unleashing back-to-back thunderous spikes to break a 13-all deadlock in the decisive frame.
The win keeps World No.17 Belgium unbeaten in Pool F while punching its ticket to the Round of 16.
Sam Deroo added 17 points, while Seppe Rotty chipped in 16, fueling a herculean effort that left the second-ranked Italians reeling.
Italy, now 1-1 in the pool, faces a must-win showdown against Ukraine (1-1) at 9:30 AM on Thursday to claim the final Round of 16 spot from Pool F.
Ukraine, which fell to Belgium earlier, stayed alive by crushing Algeria, 25-17, 25-12, 25-11.
“We started really strong and aggressive, just like two days ago,” Reggers said. “We knew what to do, and we executed. Even when we dropped a set, we never lost focus, motivation, or confidence. We just kept pushing all game.”
Belgium now looks to maintain momentum against Algeria at 2:00 PM on Thursday.
Elsewhere at the Big Dome, Argentina (2-0) bolstered its Round of 16 hopes with a 25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18 win over winless Korea (0-2) in Pool C. Finland (1-1) also stayed alive in Pool C after stunning Olympic champion France (1-1), 25-19, 17-25, 29-27, 25-21, 15-9.
At the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Brazil (2-0) claimed the top spot in Pool H with a 25-11, 25-22, 25-18 sweep of Czechia (1-1), setting up a crucial clash with Serbia (1-1).
Meanwhile, Iran (1-1) bounced back from an opening set loss to defeat Tunisia (1-1), 23-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-16 in Pool A, keeping the four-way race for the top two positions wide open.
Serbia completed its pool sweep with a 25-18, 25-19, 29-27 victory over winless China (0-2).
And making history in the host country, Alas Pilipinas, ranked 77th in the world, scored the biggest upset of the tournament so far. They stunned African champion Egypt (22nd), 29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21, proving they belong on the world stage.
#WATCH: Ferre Reggers leads Belgium to a stunning five-set upset over defending champ Italy in #MWCH2025! 🇧🇪🏐
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/9vkNF04Bcz
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) September 16, 2025
