The Vietnamese women's volleyball team will enter the AVC Nations Cup 2025 (formerly known as the AVC Challenge Cup) as the defending champion. The tournament will take place from June 7 to June 14 in Dong Anh, Hanoi.
The 11 teams will compete with host countries Vietnam, Australia, Kazakhstan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Hong Kong (China), Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Taiwan (China). According to the draw results, the Vietnam women's volleyball team is in Group A with opponents Australia, Taiwan (China), Hong Kong (China) and India.
Meanwhile, Group B includes the women's volleyball teams of Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Iran, Indonesia, Mongolia and New Zealand.
Assessing the correlation between strength and expertise, coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and his team fell into a "easier" group when the opponents were not too strong.
For the Australian team, although not a major force in Asian volleyball, this team has many players with good physique, modern playing style and formidable blocking ability. Thanh Thuy and her teammates need to be careful with the team's fast-paced playing style and edging.
On the Taiwanese side (China) is a team with uniform techniques, flexible movement and a solid defense. At the AVC Challenge Cup 2023, the Vietnam women's volleyball team defeated this opponent with a score of 3-0 in the quarter-finals. However, after a year, the opponent has certainly made changes and progress, ready to make it difficult for Thanh Thuy and her teammates in the upcoming meeting.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong (China) is also a team in the top strong team group in the continent. However, this is a team famous for its fierce playing style and unpredictable playing style. Subjectivity in the first step or defense can completely make the host Vietnam pay the price against this opponent.
As for the Indian team, this team is on the rise with a team of young athletes with high height, jumping power and improvised play. This is an opponent that Vietnam can completely defeat if they play at their best. However, coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet needs to have calculations to solve the problem early in the match, avoiding prolongation that affects the players' physical strength.
To successfully defend the championship, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team needs to calculate additional options to go deep in the tournament. In the next round, special opponents Indonesia and the defending runner-up Kazakhstan are the difficult problems that Mr. Nguyen Tuan Kiet and the coaching staff must solve.
In general, playing at home is still a big advantage for Vietnamese girls. The heat in the stands is certainly a source of motivation for Thanh Thuy and her teammates.
AVC Nations Cup 2025 is not only a test of strength but also a test of the ambition of Vietnamese women's volleyball to reach the international arena. On that journey, clearly identifying the opponent is a prerequisite to step up to the throne.
