Manila, April 27, 2025 – VTV Binh Dien Long An fought valiantly but fell 3-1 to Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu VC in the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Champions League final on April 27 at Philsports Arena, settling for a historic silver medal. Despite the loss, the Vietnamese club’s first-ever final appearance and three individual awards mark a breakthrough for coach Thai Quang Lai’s squad.
Both teams, making their debut in the AVC final, entered with equal chances to etch their names in history. Thai Quang Lai fielded his strongest lineup, banking on Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, Vi Thi Nhu Quynh, and Natalia Lijewska to overpower Zhetysu’s towering blockers. Vo Thi Kim Thoa’s precise setting aimed to exploit gaps, but Zhetysu’s Karyna Denysova and Valeriya Yakutina dominated the first set, cruising 25-14 with seven kill blocks, per match stats.
VTV Binh Dien Long An roared back in the second set, leveling the score at 1-1 with a 25-20 win, driven by Thanh Thuy’s match-high 28 points, including 24 attacks and six digs. The third set proved pivotal; despite leading 19-17, errors and Yakutina’s clutch block handed Zhetysu a 25-23 edge. Fatigue set in during the fourth set, and Zhetysu’s Yuliia Dymar sealed a 25-18 victory, finishing the 87-minute match 3-1 (25-14, 20-25, 25-23, 25-18).
The silver medal, VTV Binh Dien Long An’s best AVC result, follows their 2019 semifinal run and secures their third consecutive FIVB Women’s Club World Championship berth, after Sport Center 1 (2023) and Phu Dong Ninh Binh (2024). Individual honors shone: Thanh Thuy earned Best Opposite Spiker, Vi Thi Nhu Quynh (19 points, 10 digs) took Best Outside Hitter, and Nguyen Khanh Dang was named Best Libero. Zhetysu’s Denysova claimed MVP and Best Outside Hitter.
Thai Quang Lai praised his team’s resilience, mirroring The Cong Viettel’s grit in football, despite not capitalizing on key moments. The $15,000 runner-up prize and global qualification, hosted in Thailand this September, fuel optimism. The squad departs Manila on April 28 for a well-earned rest before reviewing their campaign, with Hoang Anh Gia Lai-like youth programs inspiring their next steps. In Round 21, VTV Binh Dien Long An’s domestic focus resumes, aiming to build on their SEA Games silver and challenge Song Lam Nghe An-backed rivals.
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