Their 25-11, 25-23, 25-12 victory puts them in a favourable position to qualify from Group A where they are also joined by Poland, whom they face tomorrow.

In Group B, world champions Bosnia and Herzegovina showed their class with a resounding 3-0 victory over Georgia.

They only lost 25 points in the entire match to triumph 25-7, 25-13, 25-5.

The 2014 global winners and Rio 2016 Paralympic silver medallists are among the forces in the sport.

They also won Paralympic titles at Athens 2004 and London 2012 and are the defending European champions, having won last time out in Elblag, Poland.

The Bosnians will next play Hungary at the Porec Competition Hall and will be strong favourites after Serbia defeated Hungary 3-0, 25-15, 25-14, 25-14.

In Group C, Russia laid down a marker with a storming 3-0 victory over Latvia, 25-8, 25-10, 25-7, and in Group D Germany defeated Turkey 3-0: 25-10, 25-9, 25-17.

In Group B of the women's section, the Ukraine defeated The Netherlands 3-0: 25-20, 25-16,25-17 - but then lost to Russia by the same scoreline: 25-22, 22-15, 25-14.

The Netherlands recovered to defeat Germany 3-0: 25-14, 25-23, 25-19.

In the same group, Italy defeated Germany 3-0: 25-16, 25-13, 25-22. 

In Group A Finland defeated Slovenia 3-0, with Annukka Jäätteenmäki scoring 19 points in the match, and Hungary beat Croatia 3-1: 23-25, 25-17, 26-11, 25-8.