Pre-match information
The Vietnamese men's volleyball team will enter the opening match of leg 2 of SEA V.Cup 2026 against Thailand. This is considered a big challenge for coach Federico Rampazzo's team as the opponent is always in the strongest group in the region.
Previously, at the end of stage 1 in the Philippines, the Vietnamese team ranked 4th after 1 victory over Myanmar and 3 defeats against Thailand (group stage), Indonesia (semi-finals) and Thailand (third place match).
These results show that the team still has many issues to improve, especially in defensive ability, step one and maintaining stability in decisive moments.
Stepping into stage 2 taking place in Jakarta (Indonesia), the coaching staff continues to maintain the main frame and add setter Tran Hoai Phuong and middle blocker Bui Xuan Tien to increase the plan to coordinate the playing style. This adjustment is expected to help the team improve the ability to organize attacks and create flexibility in situations on the field.
The rematch with Thailand will be an opportunity for the Vietnamese team to assess the effectiveness of the changes after the first leg, and at the same time aim for a more positive result against a long-time rival.
