The Japanese volleyball team secured a hard-fought victory over the Netherlands in a tiebreaker. The team became the first semi-finalist in the 2025 Women’s World Cup.
Both national teams are in the top 10 of the world rankings, with Japan in fourth place and the Netherlands in eighth. The teams had been undefeated since the start of the tournament (four wins each), and the Netherlands knocked out the defending champions Serbia in the round of 16, 3-2 in sets.
The Japanese national team confidently defeated Thailand (3:0). The team planned to build on its success against the Dutch, whom it had already defeated in the Nations League playoffs this season, winning in three sets in the round of 16.
Netherlands – Japan – how the 2025 World Cup quarter-final went
The Japanese team successfully fought back in the first set, scoring six points. The Netherlands’ surge proved decisive with the score tied at 18:18. The team managed to close out the set with a score of 25:20.
In the middle of the second set, the Japanese managed to seize the initiative. The team managed to pull ahead by five points and evened the overall score at 25:20. The Netherlands took the lead in the third set (25:22).
The European team maintained a slight advantage until the middle of the fourth set, before the Japanese managed to equalise the score (16:16). They took the match to a tie-break, which they won 15:12 after a close battle. They then pulled ahead, taking the fourth set 25:22.
From the start of the match, the Netherlands took the lead in the tiebreaker. They maintained a two-point lead, but the Asian team equalised and, at the end of the match, snatched victory with a score of 15:12.
Players Mayu Ishikawa and Yukiko Wada were key to the Japanese victory, scoring 25 and 27 points respectively. The most productive player of the match also added four aces to her tally.
Netherlands 🧡 struck first, but Japan 🇯🇵 clapped back 💥
It’s 1️⃣–1️⃣ in the very first Quarterfinal of the World Championship!
This one’s already a thriller 🔥
📺 Watch it LIVE on VBTV: https://t.co/tLeKGVNZId#WWCH #Volleyball #Thailand2025 #ElectrifyingThailand pic.twitter.com/uxHoXqic2g
— Volleyball World (@volleyballworld) September 3, 2025
The Japanese women’s team last reached the semi-finals at the 2010 World Championships, when they won bronze. At the 2022 World Championships, the team was eliminated in the quarter-finals, losing to Brazil in a tie-break.
Earlier, the Ukrainian women’s volleyball team reached the final of the Women’s Golden Euroleague. The Ukrainians defeated the Swedish national team, which is hosting the competition.
