Titleholders Vietnam and debutants Kazakhstan are set up to face off in the final game of the 2024 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup for Women by defeating their respective Australian and Philippine opponents in the semifinals held at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in the Philippines on Tuesday. 

The final takes place at 6:00 pm on Wednesday (Vietnam time) and will be broadcast live on YouTube.

The eventual champions will secure the opportunity to compete in the 2024 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup, scheduled for July 4-7 in the Philippines, and a spot in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League, set for June 2 to July 27, 2025.

Vietnam secured their spot in Wednesday’s final showdown with a decisive 3-0 victory over Australia on Tuesday, with set scores of 25-21, 25-19, and 25-16. 

Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen led the charge with 24 points, while Tran Tu Linh contributed 13 points, providing crucial support as Vietnam close in on defending their title. 

Their dominant performance from the serving line resulted in 10 aces and disrupted their opponents’ game plan. 

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan earned their place in the championship match by sweeping the hosts, the Philippines, with straight sets of 25-23, 25-21, and 25-14. 

Despite being newcomers to the competition, the Kazakhstan team, led by Sana Anarkulova and Svetlana Nikolayeva, showcased a formidable offense, exploiting weaknesses in the hosts’ defense. 

Their strategic blocking, particularly at the wings, proved effective in thwarting their opponents’ attacks.

Before Vietnam and Kazakhstan face off in the championship match, Australia and the Philippines will compete for the bronze medal in the preceding match scheduled for 3:00 pm (Vietnam time).

India will compete against Iran for the fifth place in Wednesday’s 12:00 pm match, while Indonesia and Hong Kong faced off in the opening match at 9:00 am to determine the championship’s seventh and eighth placers. 

Taiwan concluded their campaign in the competition in ninth place, securing a 3-0 victory with scores of 27-25, 25-10, and 25-10 over Singapore.

The AVC Challenge Cup for Women is a prestigious international competition in Asia and Oceania, hosted by the Asian Volleyball Confederation for unranked senior women’s national teams. 

Established in 2018 as a biennial tournament, its inaugural edition in Hong Kong was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, and the following edition was also called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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