Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Women's Volleyball Nations League match.
Canada will be aiming to avenge last year's 0:3 defeat to the Netherlands in the Nations League. However, the current pre-match outlook suggests they are facing an uphill battle. The Netherlands have a consistent track record of building form ahead of major tournaments and have already completed two solid friendlies against top-level opposition. Canada, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after a disappointing Pan-American Cup campaign, but the Netherlands represent a particularly difficult challenge.
Canada (women)
Currently ranked 8th in the world, Canada are struggling on the international stage. Their performance at the Pan-American Cup was underwhelming, finishing only seventh after losses to the Dominican Republic (0:3), Mexico (2:3), and Puerto Rico (2:3). In last year’s Nations League, Canada failed to reach the play-offs and ended up in ninth place. This season began with a narrow win over Bulgaria (20th), where Canada won the first two sets convincingly (25:18, 25:12) but nearly squandered their lead, closing the match only in the fifth set. The Netherlands have a strong head-to-head record against Canada, who have only won two of their seven encounters.
Netherlands (women)
The Netherlands arrived at the tournament in good form, having played two competitive friendlies in May — a 3:2 win over Germany and a closely contested 2:3 loss against Italy. In last year’s Nations League, the Netherlands clinched a comfortable win over Canada and also recorded victories against Serbia, France, and the Dominican Republic. This year’s campaign began with a heavy loss to Japan (7th), although Japan were last season’s finalists and remain strong contenders for the play-offs.
Canada (women) vs Netherlands (women) Prediction
The Netherlands have a deeper squad and stronger overall quality. The poor showing by Canada in the Pan-American Cup and the team’s recent form suggest the recovery process is not yet complete. With an unfavourable head-to-head record and a challenging opponent, even moderate confidence in Canada seems overly optimistic. The Netherlands are expected to be competitive and are unlikely to suffer a significant defeat.
