Vietnam's men's sepaktakraw team delivered a major upset, beating host nation Thailand 2-1 in the semi-final this morning at the Nakhon Pathom stadium. This victory is particularly significant as Thailand has consistently won gold in the men's three-a-side event since 2007, making Vietnam's triumph an unprecedented achievement.

The match was a thrilling contest, with Vietnam securing the first set 15-13 after a closely fought battle. A crucial turning point came with the score at 13-12, as Vietnam's Ngo Thanh Long delivered a powerful serve. A Thai player attempted to spike the ball, but it deflected off Huynh Ngoc Sang's back and bounced back, securing a vital point for Vietnam. Serving points proved to be instrumental, and Thanh Long's subsequent effective serve led to a failed return from Thailand, giving Vietnam the opening set.

Huynh Ngoc Sang (left) and Vuong Minh Chau celebrate a point for Vietnam in sepaktakraw at Nakhon Pathom stadium, Thailand. Photo: PBS

Thailand rallied in the second set, quickly establishing a 5-2 lead and then extending their advantage to win 15-7. The home crowd at Nakhon Pathom stadium erupted in cheers, buoyed by their team's resurgence.

However, the Vietnamese team maintained their composure, taking an early lead in the decisive third set. Ngo Thanh Long once again proved to be the hero, sealing the set and match with a direct ace serve, leading to a 15-9 victory for Vietnam. While Thanh Long calmly accepted the win, teammates Huynh Ngoc Sang and Vuong Minh Chau celebrated exuberantly, jumping and then lying on the floor in happiness.

This is not the first time Vietnam has brought disappointment to Thailand in sepaktakraw at these Games. In the men's four-a-side semi-final, Vietnam also overcame the host nation to reach the final, where they went on to secure their first gold medal in the sport.

Thailand is considered the birthplace of sepaktakraw and has maintained a superior global standing in the sport. Over the past 20 years at the SEA Games, Thailand has amassed 54 gold medals, accounting for 56% of the total. In contrast, Vietnam had only secured one gold medal prior to this SEA Games, in the women's doubles at SEA Games 32 in Cambodia, an event Thailand did not participate in.

Vietnam will now face another strong contender, Malaysia, in the final scheduled for 1:30 p.m. this afternoon.

Beyond sepaktakraw, Thailand has also faced unexpected defeats in several other traditionally strong events at SEA Games 33, particularly in football. For the first time, they failed to win a single gold medal across all four football and futsal events for both men and women. Despite these setbacks, Thailand still managed to break Vietnam's overall gold medal record, accumulating 232 gold medals by 11:20 a.m. on 20/12/2023.

Xuan Binh