Tunisia vs Portugal

Tunisia entered the match knowing they could finish no higher than third, but played with freedom and intensity from the first whistle. The first set was the tightest of the three, with Portugal staying level until the midway point before Tunisia's attack opened a gap and closed it out 25-23.

The second set was one-way traffic. Tunisia's block — the foundation of their Mediterranean Games campaign — stifled Portugal's outside hitters, forcing errors that turned a close start into a runaway 25-15 win.

Portugal showed more resistance early in the third set under coach João Coelho, but Tunisia's experience and sharper finishing told in the closing stages. A 25-18 scoreline sealed the sweep.

Tunisia's block dominated the match in a way that Portugal's offence could not answer. After losing the tight first set 23-25, Portugal's attacking confidence visibly dipped. Tunisia won eight of the first 12 points of the second set, effectively ending the contest before the halfway mark. Portugal never recovered a set lead.

Tunisia's opposite hitter was the standout player, repeatedly finding gaps in the Portuguese block during the crucial first and third sets. The North Africans' middle blockers also had a strong afternoon, registering multiple stuff blocks that disrupted Portugal's rhythm.

For Portugal, Rodrigo Pereira — the outside hitter who had been the team's top scorer in several group matches — carried much of the offensive load but found Tunisia's block well organised. The Portuguese side managed only their lowest combined set tally of the tournament since the France match.

Player of the match: Tunisia's opposite hitter (name not published at time of writing).

The 3-0 scoreline reflected Tunisia's control across all three sets, but the set scores reveal more nuance. The 25-23 margin in the first set was the closest Portugal had pushed any opponent since their 3-2 win over Algeria (18-25, 25-22, 25-27, 25-19, 18-16) on 22 August. Once that set slipped away, Portugal's set totals dropped sharply — 15 and 18 points in sets two and three respectively.

Tunisia's win/loss record at the tournament finished at 3-2 (wins over Algeria, Serbia and Portugal; losses to Italy and France), while Portugal ended 1-4 (win over Algeria; losses to Italy, France, Serbia and Tunisia).

Tunisia finish third in Pool A on eight points — a respectable campaign that included a dramatic 3-2 victory over Serbia on 23 August (34-36, 25-22, 19-25, 25-16, 18-16). They exit the group stage unable to reach the semifinals after France and Italy each went 5-0.

Portugal's tournament ends in fifth place. Coached by Sporting CP's João Coelho, the Portuguese squad — featuring players from clubs across Portugal, Italy, Germany and Slovenia — gained valuable experience against high-level opposition.

Both teams now look ahead to their next international commitments. Tunisia will turn focus to the African Championship, while Portugal prepare for the European Championship in September.

Tunisia delivered a polished, professional performance to close their Mediterranean Games on a high, overpowering a Portugal side that competed well in patches but lacked the firepower to sustain a challenge. The margin of victory was a fair reflection of the gap between the two teams in this tournament's form guide.