After securing a convincing win over New Zealand in their opening match and earning an early ticket to the quarterfinals, Vietnam entered the game against South Korea with a relaxed mindset, battling for the top spot in Group D.

Vietnam is ranked 53rd in the world, while South Korea holds 25th place globally and ranks 5th in Asia. The two teams previously met in the bronze medal match of the AVC Challenge Cup 2023 (the predecessor to the AVC Nations Cup), where South Korea triumphed 3-1.

Returning to this year’s clash, Vietnam surprised early by taking an 8-4 lead in the first set. However, South Korea turned the tables to go ahead 19-16. Toward the end of the set, Vietnam struggled with service and blocking errors, eventually falling 22-25.

In the second set, South Korea continued to exploit their height and athleticism advantage. Nonetheless, Ngoc Thuan and his teammates mounted a strong effort, even leading 15-14 at one point, but narrowly lost the set 23-25.

Fatigue took its toll in the third set, with Vietnam quickly collapsing to a 12-25 defeat, losing the match 0-3 overall. With this result, South Korea topped Group D, while Vietnam finished second. Coach Tran Dinh Tien’s team will face Qatar in the quarterfinals.

Dai Nam