Volleyball

Việt Nam are aiming for the top spot at the SEA V.Cup, with the tournament's second leg taking place from August 7 to 9 in Thailand. Photo courtesy SAVA

HÀ NỘI — The second leg of the SEA V.Cup is ready to kick off this week in Thailand, with Việt Nam now under the helm of Nguyễn Ngọc Hoa, marking the first time a woman has served as head coach of the Vietnamese women's team at an official international competition.

Currently in second place after the competition's first leg, Việt Nam plan to improve their runner-up finish to get to the top in the second leg, which will take place from August 7 to 9 in Chiang Mai.

All four teams in the annual volleyball tournament are set to compete at the 700th Anniversary Chiang Mai Sports Complex.

As longtime head coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt steps aside to focus on preparations for the 2026 Asian Games, assistant coach Hoa will take charge of the squad.

She is taking 14 players for the campaign in Chiang Mai. Among them are renowned outside hitter Trần Thị Thanh Thúy, middle blocker Trần Thị Bích Thủy, opposite hitter Đoàn Thị Xuân, libero Trần Khánh Đang and setter Võ Thị Kim Thoa.

Việt Nam will first play Indonesia, before taking on the Philippines in the second match and Thailand in the last game.

The team with the highest points will take the crown and earn a slot in the 2027 AVC Cup.

The second leg is also considered the last test for all of the teams prior to the Asian championship and Asian Games later this year.

As in the first leg, the Philippines and Indonesia are not considered strong teams in the region. As a result, Việt Nam and Thailand are the top candidates for the title.

Thailand showed their power with a 25-18, 25-17, 25-14 win over Việt Nam in the first leg, taking the number one spot.

This week, they are even stronger, after the coaching board called up at least four senior players. The team will also enjoy a home-court advantage.

Coach Hoa and her assistants are working hard to prepare the players following the loss.

They have tried to boost the athletes' morale while reminding the entire team to stay focused and learn from the errors made during the match against Thailand. 

Although the 0-3 defeat was disappointing, they should not let the loss affect their mindset. All the players need to do their best and improve their performance this weekend. — VNS