Vietnam women’s volleyball team faced a tough challenge in their opening match of the VTV Ferroli Cup 2024 against Kuanysh Club from Kazakhstan. The match, held on the evening of August 24 at Ninh Binh, highlighted the physical and tactical strengths of the Kazakh team, which had been regarded as one of the strongest opponents in the tournament.
Right from the first set, Kuanysh Club demonstrated a significant advantage in physicality and agility. Their powerful attacks and quick, effective blocking put Vietnam on the back foot. In contrast, the Vietnamese team struggled to find their rhythm, showing weaknesses in both offense and defense. Errors in reception and a lack of coordination were frequent, disrupting their gameplay. Key attacker Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, assigned the role of the main spiker, was unable to make an impact and was substituted early for Vi Thi Nhu Quynh.
Despite falling behind 10-15, Vietnam managed to rally, leveling the score at 17-17. However, Kuanysh Club responded decisively, scoring four consecutive points to lead 21-17, eventually winning the first set 25-20.
The second set continued to showcase Vietnam’s struggles, particularly in their reception game, which remained unimproved. Their offensive plays were ineffective, often thwarted by Kuanysh’s strong defensive blocks. Bich Tuyen’s underperformance meant that Vietnam’s powerful spikes, a key feature of their play, were largely absent. Kuanysh capitalized on these weaknesses, steadily widening the gap and securing a commanding 25-13 victory in the second set, putting them ahead 2-0.
In the third set, Kuanysh Club’s challenging serves continued to disrupt Vietnam’s formation, keeping them on the defensive. Although the Vietnamese team showed some resilience, narrowing the scoreline, Kuanysh maintained their composure to edge out a 25-23 win, thus completing a straight-sets victory at 3-0.
This defeat is a clear indication of the areas that the Vietnam women’s volleyball team needs to address if they hope to advance further in the tournament. Improvements in coordination, reception, and attack strategies will be crucial as they prepare for their next matches. The VTV Ferroli Cup 2024 continues to be an important platform for the team to refine their skills and gain valuable international experience as they look to improve their standing in the regional volleyball scene.
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