Alas Pilipinas Men fall to Tunisia in straight sets in World Championship opener

Alas Pilipinas Men started their 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship campaign with a three-set loss to Tunisia at the Mall of Asia Arena, with set scores of 13-25, 17-25, and 23-25.

Despite the loss, team captain Bryan Bagunas had a strong performance, leading all scorers with 23 points, marking a notable return after a year-long recovery from a knee injury.

Bagunas led a spirited comeback in the third set, tying the match at 23-all before Tunisia secured the win.

Marck Espejo contributed nine points for the Philippine team.

Tunisia's Oussama Ben Romdhane, who scored 17 points, praised Alas Pilipinas for their defense and serving, acknowledging the difficulty of the third set.

Alas Pilipinas Men will aim to recover in their next match against Egypt on Tuesday.

Tunisia will seek to improve their round of 16 chances with a second win against Iran on Tuesday.