Before the final match, both Vietnam and Kazakhstan had already qualified for the semifinals. The match remained important because the winner would top the group, avoiding South Korea in the semifinals. In 11 previous encounters, Vietnam had a slight edge with six victories, including a 3-0 win in the 2024 AVC Cup final.

Outside hitter Tran Thi Thanh Thuy attempts to save the ball during the 2-3 loss to Kazakhstan in the final match of Group B at the Asian women's volleyball - AVC Nations Cup 2026 on the morning of 12/6 in Philippines. Photo: AVC

Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet fielded his strongest lineup, including three players named Thuy: Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, Le Thanh Thuy, and Dinh Thi Thuy. However, the team started somewhat shakily. Benefiting from better height and jumping power, Kazakhstan effectively neutralized Vietnam's spikes. Coach Tuan Kiet and his team called a timeout immediately after falling behind 1-5.

After the adjustment, the Vietnamese players found their rhythm with diverse attacks. Good first pass reception and solid back-row defense helped the team equalize and then win the first set 25-18.

The scenario from the beginning of the first set repeated itself as Vietnam started the second set with many first pass errors and ineffective blocking. This time, the team lost momentum, consistently trailing by 5-7 points. Despite Coach Kiet's adjustments, bringing in Le Nhu Anh and Dang Kim Thanh, Vietnam could not reverse the situation and lost the set 19-25.

The third set saw a close point-for-point battle as Thanh Thuy, Dinh Thuy, and Nhu Anh performed strongly. However, blocking remained an unresolved issue for the team. Coach Tuan Kiet even exclaimed to his players, "They are tough, it won't be easy". Nevertheless, the Vietnamese women's team overcame the difficulties to win 25-23.

Difficulties resurfaced in the fourth set as the opponent played well and blocked effectively. Thanks to their superior height, Kazakhstan often spiked the ball directly to the floor or over the block, making it difficult for Vietnam's defense to counter. Thanh Thuy and her teammates were helpless as the opponent led from start to finish, losing 22-25.

The decisive set was tense, with both teams trading leads. With spikes from behind the 3-meter line, Thanh Thuy helped Vietnam lead 8-6. But after the court switch, Vietnam made first pass errors again, hindering their ability to organize attacks. Kim Thoa's setting also lacked sharpness to create surprises. Consequently, spikes from Thanh Thuy, Nguyen Uyen, Nhu Anh, and others were anticipated and failed to penetrate the opponent's block, leading to a 13-15 loss.

Losing their first match of the tournament after 115 minutes, Vietnam finished second in Group B and will likely face South Korea in the semifinals.

The AVC Nations Cup, organized by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), is a second-tier competition for national teams with average rankings. Strong nations like China, Japan, and Thailand are currently participating in the Nations League, which features top world teams. Vietnam has won the AVC Cup three consecutive times in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

This year, the tournament is taking place in Ilocos Sur province, Philippines, from 6-14/6, featuring 12 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 from each group advancing to the semifinals to contend for the championship. The remaining teams compete for lower rankings.

Duc Dong