Vietnamese volleyball had an uneven start at the 2024 Asian Club Championship, as LPB Ninh Binh and Duc Giang Lao Cai Chemicals both lost in their opening matches.
In Group A, Duc Giang Lao Cai Chemical Club lost 0-3 (17-25, 22-25, 20-25) to Kuanysh VC (Kazakhstan). The mentality of Tu Linh and her teammates was somewhat tense when entering the match.
In set 1, most of Duc Giang Chemicals' drop shots were unsuccessful, because the opponent defended very solidly and counterattacked sharply. In addition, the situations of fast smashing the ball at the net or attacking the sideline were not effective because the smashing power was limited and the ball's range was low, making it difficult to get past the opponent's block.
It was not until sets 2 and 3, when they gradually got into the rhythm of the game, that coach Pham Van Long's students played better to surpass the 20-point mark and keep close to the score with Kuanysh VC. However, some errors in the first step and serving caused Duc Giang Lao Cai Chemicals to lose points regrettably.
In addition, in the recent match, foreign player Elena Samoilenko (Russia) of Duc Giang Chemicals was not put on the field. It is likely that the Russian player is injured, because in the most recent training session, Samoilenko had a problem with her ankle.
Therefore, coach Pham Van Long may not want to risk his "trump card" in the remaining journey in the continental playground. The absence of Elena Samoilenko somewhat affects the strength of Duc Giang Chemicals.
In the next two matches, the Vietnamese representative will continue to meet Nakhon Ratchasima VC (Thailand) and Kwai Tsing (Hong Kong, China). Of which, Nakhon Ratchasima is a very strong team, promising to bring unpredictable challenges to Duc Giang Chemicals.
Also in the opening match, another Vietnamese team, LPB Ninh Binh, lost 0-3 (15-25, 21-25, 18-25) to NEC Red Rockets. Facing the overwhelming strength of the Japanese representative, coach Thai Thanh Tung's students could not show much.
In set 1, the main hitter Bich Tuyen mainly played in the back row. Her smashes behind the 3m line did not cause much trouble for the opponent and she only scored 5 points in this set.
In sets 2 and 3, Bich Tuyen brought into play her strengths. The 2000-born setter scored 8 and 11 points respectively to become the player with the most points in the match with 24 points, surpassing Sato, Wada and Kinoe of NEC Red Rockets.
However, this is still not Bich Tuyen's best scoring performance. LPB Ninh Binh's passiveness in the face of the opponent's playing style is also part of the reason why the team has not played effectively. In addition to the Vietnamese players, a few other individuals such as Le Thanh Thuy and Dinh Thi Thuy have not had good performances.
In this group, LPB Ninh Binh also faces Saipa Club (Iran) and Monolith Sky Risers (Philippines). According to experts, these teams are of moderate level, which will be an opportunity for Mr. Thai Thanh Tung and his team to hope for a favorable result.
