Netherlands vs Cuba | Men's VNL 2025

South Korea to play with Bufangs. Masso second swing, title net, three hands on him. Berkout goes to Ayi, and it's a massive block coming in from Masso. Little tip coming in from Copes. Berkout with the serve down the line to Gutierrez. Oh, a little show voting from Gutierrez. And a big block coming in. Well, their game against Serbia was won primarily through the block and their defensive work. They've already started to set the standards here against the Netherlands. Big leap coming in. Oh, it's a little trickle up. It's lost all its power on the tape. Here's an ace serve. Everyone loves a good net ace, including Tom Copes. Cuba down by one, 6-7. Ayi, big hands, and this time it is Jant. Good pressure serve. Gutierrez takes that beautifully well, lands on the setter's head. Berkout has options. Back wall for a double touch, not to be given. Oh, what a swing that is. Well, Netherlands taking the game to Cuba. Copes making this high fire. Good flat angle serve. Options off the net. Well, talk about options off the net, you're a three-man block. This is in to replace Masso, the opposite position. We're in the number 14. Gomez high on two. Tom Copes automatically puts his hands up saying... Gutierrez unloads a huge serve that turns into an overpass. Chance here, and the experience of Alonso. Ball purposely placed from the center window. Takes a sing out the serve. Fake set. Oh, lovely work. Well, that's got the Dutch bench cheering on. Ayi, toss forward. Lovely take. Great play from the Netherlands. They take the first set, 25-21, just as they did against Germany. Berkout brings him to play, and Alonso gets another point for Cuba. That's a big serve. Right on the head, though, it goes to Gomez. Oh, Yant looked like he was cycling, almost like a long jump. How far he comes in. In a pretty low set for Yant, that's... Out wide, lovely control. Cuba might do to respond. Ayi, rattles that one through the block. Marlon Yant, that's a bit of a slip as he lands. Doesn't need to do anything, though, because Gutierrez just stands there. Yant back to serve. It's an overpass. Gomez, Gutierrez on the angle. Miguel Lopez comes running in to celebrate as well, on the sidelines. Almost a combination play coming in for Cuba. They've got to start thinking here. High hands it there. Great pickup from Garcia. Berkout options, hands, high and out of play. Yant walking in once again, but it goes to Maso. Lovely touch. High clock, but it goes into the referee's hand before Keeming can get to it. Good pressure serve down the line. They come straight back. Nice side out from the Dutch team. Such a dominant swing from Martinez. Look how fast he pops out for his approach and he's... Ayi coming on. Brilliant serve. It's a fantastic take as well. And put away first time from Cuba. They take the set. The Netherlands and now in Germany with the serve. Oh, that's a massive block. That's reminiscent of some of the Cuban ones in first and second set, but that was most third set. Has been a little bit stop starting for them. Maso, lovely down the line. What a line shot by Maso. Making that look so easy. He has this... Maso takes the first touch, gets it back. Yant doing the recovery work. Setter out. Ayi then with a swing off the hands in Russia. Van der Ent with a big, big swing. Well, that's a confidence booster for the Dutch medal. Great. I'll go to setting. Another big pipe coming in from... It almost looks effortless, doesn't it? The jump, the spike, the reach, everything. And it almost looks mad. Marlon yet acting like the ball has done something again. Excuse me, Maso has eight and Alonso. Maso out. Oh, that's somehow come over from Yant. And in the end, the ball has just been fed up. Here it is again. Good aggression. The serve forces the overpass. Garcia in and on the angle it comes to Maso. Now this time switches over and Yant is blocked. Maso down low. Oh, good swing from Maso down the line. 20-23. Gutierrez, a big block. They're there. They're back within two points now. And that forces a timeout for Cuba. And it's an ace serve to take the third set. 25-21. Well, the comeback was... Martinez short on Maso. Back out to Gutierrez. Power tip. Good touch. One-handed, one-footed takeoff. It's almost like a backcourt slide. One of the only slide looking hits we have. Cuba Bunch having fun. Lovely combination. Nice play and a lovely angled swing. One of the better cut shots of the week so far. Yant on the pipe. Wurzburg's tip is picked up. Maso from the back line. Well, a big block for the Dutch. Statement in your face block on Maso denying. Mess is making the most out of his chance here. Garcia again gets himself underneath it. And this time it's a massive block coming in from Ramon Martinez. 18-16. The belief is there from the Netherlands as another Dutch wall. It's a weird float serve. He's the target of the serve receiving. Yant wants it back on the pipe. Every time he passes the ball, he always gets it back on that pipe attack. The Netherlands. You know where it's going to go. And it's always in. Well, Cuba thought it was out. It's not finished yet. Good hustle. It is going to be a free ball coming in for Cuba. They've got loads of options. Here's the pipe. It's not grounded. Gomez bringing in Yant who switched it around and turns it on his head for match point. The lefty setter will defend at six. Oh, it's a big hands on the block from Yant. Options of Gutierrez. Chance here for the Netherlands. What options have they got? What do they take? Maso. Deep. Off the hands. Setter out. Oh, it's a massive block but it's a foot fault. 17 points to his game. Match point Cuba. Chance here. Gutierrez. Off the hands and out of play. Cuba have saved set points against them and they take the game.