Belgium's Yellow Tigers delivered one of the standout results of the European Volleyball Championship, defeating the Netherlands in a gruelling five-set tiebreak to finish their group stage with a perfect record. Played in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, the match lasted two and a half hours and ended 25-27, 22-25, 25-22, 25-18, 15-13 in Belgium's favour, handing the Dutch team their first defeat of the tournament.

The Netherlands, ranked ninth in the world, had entered the match in strong form, having beaten Romania, Portugal, and Spain in their previous three group games. Coach Felix Koslowski's side started well and even held two set points at 24-22 in the opening set, but failed to convert — a missed opportunity that visibly disrupted the team's rhythm. The Dutch began the second set sluggishly and dropped it to fall 2-0 down.

The Netherlands mounted a notable comeback, aided by the return to form of Jolien Knollema, clawing back to win the third and fourth sets and push the match to a deciding fifth. In the tiebreak, they came close, pulling to within one point at 12-13, but a passing error and a net fault proved costly, allowing Belgium to seal the victory.

For Belgium, the win rounded off a flawless group campaign — five wins from five — and, crucially, secures them a more favourable path into the knockout phase of the tournament. The result was described as a significant upset given the Dutch team's higher world ranking and recent track record: the Netherlands finished third at the previous European Championship three years ago.

Despite the defeat, the Dutch side had already secured qualification for the top four of their group alongside Belgium and host nation Azerbaijan, meaning their place in the knockout rounds is not in jeopardy. The Netherlands will close out their group stage on Friday against Azerbaijan, giving Koslowski's squad an opportunity to regroup before the elimination rounds begin.