Vietnam defeated hosts Indonesia 3-2 in a thrilling tie-break final on Sunday evening, clinching the championship title of the 2023 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup and securing qualification for the FIVB Women’s Challenger Cup.

The dramatic 25-18, 25-27, 21-25, 25-20, 15-13 result proved the Vietnamese team’s bravery against a tough home side and their determination to secure a ticket to the FIVB Challenger Cup, scheduled for France from July 27 to 30.

The Vietnamese team is now set to prepare for the 2023 FIVB Women’s Challenger Cup, an annual women’s international volleyball tournament contested by eight national teams.

Besides Vietnam and host France, three other nations have been confirmed for the tourney, namely Colombia, Kenya, and Mexico, while two other pairs, Belgium-Sweden and the Czech Republic-Ukraine, are competing for qualification.

The remaining team will join through relegation from the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Nations League.

Vietnam effortlessly secured a 25-18 victory over their Indonesian opponents in the opening set.

The second set witnessed an intense battle between the two teams. 

When the Vietnamese came close to victory with a 25-24 lead, they allowed Indonesia to score three consecutive points, resulting in a 27-25 comeback defeat.

The Vietnamese women then appeared to be psychologically impacted, as their performance noticeably declined in the third set. 

Even captain Tran Thi Thanh Thuy did not perform up to par and was substituted. 

Taking advantage of the situation, Indonesia seized a victory with a score of 25-21.

However, the Vietnamese team displayed resilience and refused to surrender after facing two consecutive defeats. 

They regained their rhythm in the fourth set and claimed a 25-20 victory, leading the match to enter the decisive fifth set, where the intense back-and-forth battle persisted between the two teams.

But this time, Indonesia struggled to sustain their momentum. 

They committed frequent mistakes, allowing the Vietnamese attackers to score. 

When the score reached 14-13, Hoang Thi Kieu Trinh fearlessly fired the ball, hitting the net and finding a gap beyond the Indonesian defense, ultimately securing a crucial victory for the Vietnamese women’s volleyball team.

Participating in the AVC Challenge Cup for the first time, Vietnam achieved immediate success by emerging as the winner while captain Thanh Thuy was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

The 2023 AVC Challenge Cup, held from June 18-25, featured the participation of 11 Asian teams. 

It served as a competition specifically designed for mid-tier teams within Asia.

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