Estonia beat Finland 3-2 in Tampere, closing Euro 2026 group stage with a shock for the hosts

Estonia closed their 2026 European Men's Volleyball Championship group stage with a memorable 3-2 victory over Finland at Nokia Arena, Tampere, on Thursday, September 17, 2026. The set scores were 22-25, 25-21, 25-22, 20-25 and 15-11 in front of 9,813 fans. The result stopped Finland from claiming a share of first place in Pool C and sent both teams into different paths of the tournament. Belgium had already secured the top spot earlier on the same day by sweeping Serbia 3-0 with set scores of 25-19, 25-21 and 25-16. Belgium finished with 13 points, while Finland settled for second place with 11 points. Serbia and Denmark both had 7 points, with Serbia ranked above Denmark. Estonia finished fifth with 5 points, while the Netherlands had 2. Finland started strongly, taking the opening set 25-22 behind the Marttila brothers and Joonas Jokela. Jokela played his 100th match for Finland, a significant milestone in his international career. Before the match, Olivia Kunnari, the niece of Finland head coach Olli Kunnari, sang the national anthem. Estonia answered in the second set. Opposite hitter Timo Andre Lohmus helped his team open a 16-11 lead before Estonia closed it out 25-21. In the third set, Luka Marttila produced three straight service aces to tie the set at 19-19, but Lohmus made a decisive block at 22-20 and Estonia held on for a 25-22 win. Finland refused to surrender. Substitute Niko Suihkonen replaced Nooa Marttila and scored seven points, helping Finland take the fourth set 25-20 and force a tie-break. Estonia controlled the fifth set from the start and closed it out 15-11. According to Volleytimes, Lohmus finished with 24 points and Teppan added 16. WorldofVolley reported the opposite figures, crediting Teppan with 24 points and Lohmus with 16. Either way, both attackers delivered at crucial moments. Lohmus said after the match that Estonia wanted to win again in front of the crowd, gave everything, and that he was proud of his team. Finland captain Antti Ronkainen admitted Estonia played well and truly wanted the fifth set, adding that Finland now needed to focus on the next opponent. The round of 16 begins on September 19, 2026. Finland will face Greece, Belgium will meet Czechia, Slovenia plays Serbia, and Italy faces Denmark. Poland meets Latvia and Germany plays Bulgaria in Sofia on September 19, followed by Ukraine against Romania and France against Portugal on September 20. The semifinals and medal matches will be held in Milan. From a tactical perspective, Estonia won because they stayed calm in decisive points. Finland were dangerous when they attacked from the wings, but they lost focus when Estonia changed their serving direction. Luka Marttila's three aces were spectacular, yet they also showed Finland's reliance on individual momentum. Estonia, by contrast, blocked well, spread the court, and served with precision in key moments. The final standings show Belgium as the strongest team in Pool C, but knockout volleyball is a different game. Estonia showed that a team with nothing to lose can be the most dangerous opponent of all.