Belgium showcased its superiority over a winless Algerian squad to cap the Pool F preliminary phase of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship with a sweep on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Brimming with confidence and firepower, the world No. 15 Belgians capitalized on the defensive lapses of the No. 89 Algerians en route to a dominant 25-22, 25-20, 25-12 victory, extending their unbeaten run to 3-0.
“It is a big statement, I think,” said 22-year-old rising star Ferre Reggers. “Like we said after the game against Ukraine, we are here to stay, and I think we showed it. We are really happy with the result, and we will keep on fighting to continue in this tournament.”
Despite committing more errors (19-16), Belgium overwhelmed Algeria in key departments: attacks (44-33), blocks (10-1), and service aces (5-1), handing the African squad its third straight defeat.
Team captain Sam Deroo powered the Belgians with 15 points — all on kills.
“We have some kind of momentum, and I think it is really good,” added Reggers. “It was really important to play this game fully and start with the main squad. Some people suspected we would make changes, but we didn’t because we want to keep the rhythm and maintain our confidence with the same team. I think we did great today.
“It was not easy at the start because there was some pressure, but like you saw, we are a team that brings energy and has nothing to lose. We came in aggressively.”
For Algeria, Tizit Farouk finished with 10 kills and a block in the losing effort.
With Pool F wrapped up, Belgium now awaits its Round of 16 opponent from Pool C — a group that includes Finland, France, and Argentina — for their knockout showdown on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
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