After the AVC Cup 2026 group stage, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team won 4 matches and suffered 1 defeat, thereby finishing second in Group B to win the right to enter the semi-finals. Besides the positive signals in terms of results, the opposite hitter position is a professional issue that is receiving much attention.
For many years, this has always been a position that brings peace of mind to the coaching staff of the Vietnamese women's team. Kieu Trinh with extensive international competition experience or Bich Tuyen with outstanding scoring ability, were once the main cards in coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet's tactics.
Especially, in the AVC Cup 2023, 2024 and 2025 campaigns, the opposite hitter position plays a central role in the Vietnamese team's attacking front. The ability to handle the ball on the 2nd wing, attacks behind the 3-meter line or creating breakthroughs in difficult times helps the team possess an attacking spearhead that can make a difference against any opponent.
However, entering the 2026 season, the Vietnamese team no longer has these familiar choices. Kieu Trinh has been injured in the hand since the beginning of the year and has not been able to return, while Bich Tuyen has not accompanied the team since stage 2 of SEA V.League 2025.
In the registration list for the AVC Cup 2026, Dang Thi Kim Thanh and Doan Thi Xuan are the two athletes arranged for the opposite hitter position. Both were given the opportunity to play in the first matches of the group stage. However, what was shown on the field shows that the Vietnamese team has not yet found a truly convincing solution.
Kim Thanh brings stability in defense, blocking as well as playing experience. Doan Xuan brings more personnel rotation options for the coaching staff. However, the attacking efficiency from the opposite hitter position has not met expectations.
At times when the team needs a hitter capable of solving difficult ball situations or creating continuous pressure on the opponent's block, the mark from the opposite hitter position is still quite faint. This makes the burden of scoring points mostly placed on the shoulders of main attackers such as Thanh Thuy or Nhu Quynh.
The above reality also explains why coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet continuously made adjustments during the competition. At many times, the coach born in 1976 pulled Thanh Thuy or Nguyen Thi Uyen to take on the role of opposite hitter to increase the strength of the attack.
This is a solution to help the Vietnamese team maximize the scoring ability of key strikers, creating more ball distribution options for setter Vo Thi Kim Thoa.
However, the frequent use of main attackers in the role of opponents also shows that the team does not have a stable plan for the position that is considered the spearhead in the attack.
Another notable point is that the attacking system of the Vietnamese women's team at the AVC Cup 2026 has not shown as many tactical attacks as in previous seasons.
When there were still Kieu Trinh or Bich Tuyen, the team often deployed quick coordination situations in the middle of the net, overlapping wing attacks or multi-directional attacking plans to stretch the opponent's block.
However, in this year's group stage, most of the points of the Vietnamese team still came from the familiar wing plays of Thanh Thuy, Nhu Quynh or the attacks of the middle blockers.
This partly shows that the coaching staff is prioritizing safety in operating the playing style, and at the same time continuing to test personnel to find the most suitable formula for the road ahead.
At AVC Cup 2026, the Vietnamese women's team aims to defend the championship. In addition, this is also an opportunity for the coaching staff to review the force and complete the squad for more important tasks in the year, including ASIAD, VTV Cup and SEA V.League.
After the group stage, it can be seen that the opposite hitter problem has not yet found a complete solution. Therefore, finding a solution that is strong enough to fill the gap left by Kieu Trinh or Bich Tuyen will be an important factor determining the competitiveness of the Vietnamese women's volleyball team in major arenas.
