Estonia stun hosts Finland 3-2 in Tampere as Finland miss out on Pool C crown

Estonia produced the biggest upset of Pool C at the 2026 European Men's Volleyball Championship on Thursday, defeating hosts Finland 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 25-22, 20-25, 15-11) at Nokia Arena in Tampere and denying the Finns a share of the pool crown. The five-setter was played in front of 9,813 fans and closed the group stage of the 24-team tournament before the round of 16 begins this weekend. Earlier the same day, Belgium had already secured first place in Pool C with a commanding 3-0 sweep of Serbia (25-19, 25-21, 25-16). That result meant Finland, despite playing at home and being the higher-rated side, could only finish the group stage second behind Belgium. Match report Finland began like a true host nation. Olli Kunnari's team took the opening set 25-22, with the Marttila brothers and Joonas Jokela repeatedly finding openings against the Estonian defense. Jokela, making his 100th appearance for Finland, was a key anchor in attack and kept pressure on the opposing block. Estonia responded strongly in the second set. Opposite Timo Andre Lohmus opened a 16-11 lead for the visitors before closing the set out 25-21. The shift in momentum showed Estonia was not overawed by the atmosphere at Nokia Arena, where nearly ten thousand spectators were firmly behind the home side. Estonia carried that momentum into the third set. Finland's Luka Marttila ripped off three straight aces to tie the set at 19-19, but Lohmus delivered a decisive block to give Estonia a 22-20 lead, and the visitors held on to win 25-22. That set is widely seen as the turning point of the match: had Estonia lost it, the visitors would have been in serious trouble. Finland refused to fold. Substitute Niko Suihkonen, who came on for Nooa Marttila, scored seven points and forced a fifth set with a 25-20 win in the fourth. Suihkonen's introduction brought fresh energy to the Finnish attack and forced the Estonian block to keep adjusting. Estonia, however, settled the match in the tie-break, closing it out 15-11. The visitors stayed calm in the decisive rallies and capitalised on their opponents' errors late on, taking both points and directly shaping the final standings in Pool C. Key numbers Individual statistics differ between sources. Volleytimes.com reported that Lohmus finished with 24 points and Teppan added 16, while WorldofVolley credited Teppan with 24 points and Lohmus with 16. Despite the different distribution, both sources agree the pair were Estonia's two main attacking weapons in Tampere. For Finland, the standout milestone was Joonas Jokela's 100th appearance for the national team. Before the match, Olivia Kunnari, niece of head coach Olli Kunnari, sang the Finnish national anthem, a moment warmly received by the crowd at Nokia Arena. The match also drew 9,813 spectators, a figure that underlines the popularity of volleyball in Finland as the country hosts a pool of the European Championship finals. Estonia's first win The win in Tampere came days after Estonia recorded its first victory of this year's tournament, a 3-1 (27-25, 25-22, 18-25, 25-23) result over the Netherlands. In that match, two consecutive Lohmus aces at 22-22 in the fourth set proved decisive, allowing Estonia to close out the set and the match in the most dramatic fashion. Beating the Netherlands and then toppling Finland suggests Estonia are enjoying a breakout tournament. The team entered the group stage as underdogs but have shown they can compete on level terms with sides with far stronger traditions. Reaction After the match, Lohmus said Estonia badly wanted to win again in front of the crowd and gave everything it had, adding that he was proud of his team. Finland captain Antti Ronkainen acknowledged that Estonia played well, that the opponents really wanted the fifth set and fought hard to the end. Ronkainen said Finland would now turn its attention immediately to its next opponent in the round of 16. Final Pool C standings According to Volleytimes.com, the final Pool C standings were: Belgium first with 13 points, Finland second with 11, Serbia and Denmark both on 7, Estonia on 5 and the Netherlands bottom with 2. Second place means Finland enter the knockout stage through a specific bracket, while Estonia end their group campaign with five points. Round of 16 The round of 16 begins on Saturday in Sofia and Turin. Finland face Greece and Belgium meet Czechia, both on September 20 and 21 in Turin, according to WorldofVolley. In Sofia, Poland play Latvia and Germany face Bulgaria on September 19. Ukraine then meet Romania and France face Portugal on September 20, also in Sofia. In Turin, Slovenia meet Serbia on September 21, while Italy face Denmark the same weekend. The semifinals and the medal matches will be held in Milan, closing out a tournament that began with 24 teams in the group stage. What it means For Estonia, the win over Finland is a landmark result. The team not only collected two valuable points but also proved it can go toe to toe with a much higher-rated host side in a packed arena. Lohmus's decisive plays, together with Teppan's consistency, show Estonia possess individuals capable of making a difference in crucial moments. For Finland, the defeat is a costly step backwards. The hosts started well, dominated at times and even forced a fifth set, but could not maintain their composure in the tie-break. Losing a deciding set at home suggests mental resilience and game management remain areas to improve. In terms of the bracket, Finland's second-place finish sends them into a tougher path, starting with Greece. Belgium, meanwhile, top the pool with consistent form and look like serious contenders for a deep run in the knockout stage. Pool C closed with several surprising results, and Estonia's win over Finland was the biggest headline. The result not only reshaped the standings for the two teams but also forced new calculations for their round-of-16 opponents, as lower-rated sides showed they are fully capable of making a difference.