Guatemala Outlasts Belize in Power Duel

at the Second Men's Final Four

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, July 12, 2025. – Guatemala had to dig deep to overcome Belize in a hard-fought five-set battle, winning 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 26-24, 21-25, 15-11). The victory marked Guatemala’s second win at the AFECAVOL Senior Men’s Final Four, with just one match day remaining in the tournament.

Guatemala remains undefeated with a 2-0 record, while Belize sits at 1-1.

On the final day of competition, Sunday, July 13, Guatemala will face hosts El Salvador in a bid to secure the top spot in the standings. Belize, meanwhile, will take on a tough Nicaraguan squad.

Andy Leonardo led Guatemala’s offense with 24 points, supported by Carlos López, who contributed 17. Belize’s top scorer was Francis Hauze with 19 points, followed by Karym Coleman with 13 and Ernest Broaster with 12.

Though both teams tried to dominate at the net, Guatemala came out on top in attacking points (63-56) and service aces (5-2). Belize excelled in blocking (15-5) but gave up 36 unforced errors compared to Guatemala’s 34.

“It was a very tough match. Belize is a team that has been preparing well in recent years for the Central American Games. I think all teams push harder when they play against us. Playing five sets is always challenging because those final 15 points can go either way. The key to this victory was the spirit we maintained throughout,” said Guatemala’s top scorer Andy Leonardo.

Belize’s captain, Elton Anderson, shared his thoughts: “Guatemala is a very strong team. We gave our all in the match, but they know how to handle any situation. It was a good game for us, our strengths are attacking and blocking, but we made too many errors today.”