 |
Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and his players during Vietnam's 3-2 victory over Indonesia in Group B of the Asian women's volleyball AVC Nations Cup 2026, on the afternoon of 8/6 in the Philippines. *Photo: AVC*
Following two consecutive 3-0 victories against Lebanon and Hong Kong, Vietnam faced Indonesia, a direct competitor for one of the two semifinal spots from Group B. Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet fielded his strongest lineup, including Vo Thi Kim Thoa, Doan Thi Xuan, Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, Vi Thi Nhu Quynh, Le Thanh Thuy, Tran Thi Bich Thuy, and libero Nguyen Khanh Dang.
Vietnam started well, quickly taking a 6-2 lead. However, Indonesia soon countered the attacks of Vi Quynh, Thanh Thuy, Doan Xuan, and others. The Indonesian team displayed strong defense and effective blocking, making it difficult for Vietnamese attackers. After trailing, Indonesia equalized and then extended their lead to 16-9. Losing control of the game, Vietnam conceded their first set of the tournament, 18-25.
Coach Tuan Kiet then made substitutions, bringing in Nhu Anh, Yen Nhi, and Nguyen Thi Uyen. These adjustments helped Vietnam regain momentum, consistently leading in points to win the next two sets with scores of 25-22 and 25-18.
Despite gaining a psychological advantage with a 2-1 lead, the Vietnamese players again faced difficulties due to their opponent's strong defensive play. During a team timeout, Coach Tuan Kiet himself admitted that Indonesia's defense was exceptional. He instructed the Vietnamese team to increase power in their spikes or use drop shots to score points.
However, these instructions did not yield immediate results. Besides excellent defense and blocking, Indonesia also delivered powerful spikes that landed firmly, scoring points. Conversely, Vietnam struggled mentally, making service errors and hitting balls out, ultimately losing set 4 with a score of 19-25.
 |
Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and his players during Vietnam's 3-2 victory over Indonesia in Group B of the Asian women's volleyball AVC Nations Cup 2026, on the afternoon of 8/6 in the Philippines. *Photo: AVC*
In the decisive set, Vietnam reorganized their play, employing tight blocking that troubled their opponent. The "Red Shirts" quickly took a 7-2 lead, then challenged a ball touching the floor. However, due to a technical error, the challenge eyes technology could not display the replay. The referee called captain Thanh Thuy to explain, asked for understanding, and awarded the point to Indonesia.
The drama continued. Vietnam made several errors, allowing their opponent to narrow the score to 12-13. Then, the opposing team served, and Khanh Dang made a reception error, leading the referee to award the point, making it 13-13. Vietnam immediately protested, arguing that their opponent had exceeded the serving time limit. Despite appeals from both the coaching staff and players, the referee did not change the decision.
Thanks to their strong mindset, the Vietnamese players regrouped, with Nhu Anh and Bich Thuy scoring two consecutive points. This secured a 15-13 victory in set 5, culminating in a 3-2 overall win after a 1 hour 54 minute contest.
This third consecutive victory solidified Vietnam's position at the top of Group B. On 11/6, Vietnam will face Iran at 8h.
The AVC Nations Cup, organized by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), serves as a second-tier competition for mid-ranked national teams. Stronger nations like China, Japan, and Thailand are currently participating in the Nations League, which features the world's top teams. Vietnam has won the AVC Cup three consecutive times in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
This year, the tournament is being held in Ilocos Sur province, Philippines, from 6-14/6, featuring 12 national teams. Group A includes hosts Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Australia. Group B comprises Vietnam, Iran, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Lebanon. Teams compete in a single round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals to contend for the championship. The remaining teams will compete for lower rankings.
Duc Dong
