VakıfBank Beats Eczacıbaşı in Tie-Break to Win Turkish Super Cup
VakıfBank beats Eczacıbaşı 3-2 in the Turkish Super Cup final, claiming its sixth title and tying Fenerbahçe for the all-time record.
VakıfBank opened the Turkish women's volleyball season by winning the 2026 AXA Sigorta Champions Cup, defeating rivals Eczacıbaşı Peron Istanbul 3-2 (25-21, 25-23, 19-25, 17-25, 15-10) in front of a sold-out Antalya Spor Salonu. The team is coached by Italian head coach Giovanni Guidetti.
VakıfBank started aggressively, with Zehra Güneş and Marina Markova leading the way as they took the first set 25-21. The second set was tight, but VakıfBank's stronger attack down the stretch secured a 25-23 win and a 2-0 lead.
Eczacıbaşı responded, led by Ebrar Karakurt and Ekaterina Antropova, who finished with 20 points including three blocks and three aces. They dominated the third set 25-19 and turned the momentum in the fourth, winning 25-17 to force a decider. In the tie-break, VakıfBank regained its composure and pulled away for a 15-10 win.
The victory gives VakıfBank its sixth Turkish Super Cup, tying Fenerbahçe for the most titles in the tournament's history. Güneş was named the match MVP and said afterward: "Starting the season like this is a huge boost. I hope to continue with this consistency. We will face Eczacıbaşı many more times, starting with the Club World Championship."
Veteran Naz Aydemir Akyol highlighted the team's winning mentality: "We started the season with the goal of winning five trophies. Despite only a few weeks of working together, winning this title is part of VakıfBank's culture and identity."
