Making their first appearance at the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, the Vietnamese players were visibly moved as their national anthem played in the Phuket arena. A small contingent of Vietnamese fans, seemingly students and workers in Thailand, were present to cheer on coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and his team.

The Vietnamese players surprised Poland by winning the first set in their opening Pool G match of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Phuket on Wednesday night.

Facing a significantly taller opponent, Kiet instructed his players to serve short to create an element of surprise. The tactic worked immediately, as Lam Oanh scored the first point with her initial serve.

However, Poland, a three-time bronze medalist in the tournament, quickly adapted to Vietnam's strategy. Their height and power advantage, coupled with strong serves, put pressure on Kiet's players, forcing multiple stepping errors.

After a close start, Poland pulled ahead 14-12. Coach Kiet called a timeout to regroup his players and disrupt Poland's momentum. He urged his team to hit longer and more strategically, avoiding the opponent's block, especially when Poland switched to a triple block.

The timeout proved effective. Thanh Thuy and her teammates returned to the court and scored 4 consecutive points, taking a 15-14 lead, then extending it to 19-17 and 21-18. Poland rallied, scoring 4 straight points to reclaim the lead at 22-21. But Vietnam's resilient defense allowed them to edge out a 25-23 victory.

Key to Vietnam's first-set win was the consistent setting of Lam Oanh and the powerful hitting of Nhu Quynh. Kieu Trinh, Bich Thuy, and Nguyen Trinh also contributed significantly. Libero Khang Dang's spectacular digs were another highlight. In contrast, Thanh Thuy struggled, her attacks often blocked by the Polish defense.

The Vietnamese players struggle to block the Polish attackers in their opening Pool G match of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Phuket on Wednesday night.

Losing to a team ranked 19 places lower seemed to sting Poland. They returned for the second and third sets with renewed intensity, showcasing their versatility and powerful attacks, leaving Vietnam few opportunities to repeat their first-set upset. The Central European team won the next two sets decisively, 25-10 and 25-12.

In the fourth set, Vietnam surprised Poland again by jumping out to a 6-1 and then 7-3 lead, forcing Poland to call a timeout. Upon returning, Poland quickly regained control, scoring consecutive points to tie the game at 8-8, then pulling ahead 16-12, 18-15, and 21-17. Despite their efforts, Vietnam could only manage to reach 22 points before Poland secured the set and match, 25-22.

While the loss was expected, Vietnam's strong performance, including winning a set, provided a positive start to their World Championship campaign. It also boosted their confidence heading into their next match against Germany on Friday.

The 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship is taking place in Thailand from 22/8 to 7/9. The tournament features 32 teams from 5 continents, divided into 8 pools. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the round of 16.

Duc Dong