Coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt expressed regret over Vietnam's straight-set loss to the African team.

The head coach of the Vietnamese women's volleyball team shared candid thoughts after their final match against Kenya at the World Championship.

The Vietnam women's volleyball team concluded their group stage journey at the 2025 World Championship with a 0-3 defeat to Kenya in the match held on the evening of August 27 in Phuket, Thailand. This result disappointed fans, as Vietnam had previously beaten this same opponent 4-0 in a friendly match and was expected to have a better farewell performance.

Entering the match, a complacent mindset combined with the pressure to win caused the Vietnamese players to lose their consistency. Meanwhile, the Kenyan team displayed a cohesive style of play and fully exploited their height advantage.

Although they lost the final match, the World Championship journey provided many valuable lessons for the Vietnamese women's team. In their opening match, Coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt’s squad surprised many by taking a set off Poland, the world’s third-ranked team. In the following match against Germany, despite a 0-3 loss, individuals like Thanh Thúy still made an impact with their steady scoring ability. This showed that the team had memorable moments, even if they were not enough to cause a major upset.

Coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt affirmed that his players competed with maximum spirit but also acknowledged that pressure and limited experience were significant obstacles.

"It's truly regrettable that in the most crucial match, the entire team was not themselves. In every aspect, the players underperformed. Kenya is a team with a spontaneous yet powerful playing style. Today, our players were slow to adapt, and combined with the opponent’s explosive performance, the defeat was deserved,"the strategist shared.

He emphasized that participating in the World Championship was not about focusing on results but rather an opportunity to gain experience and learn from top-tier opponents.

"The important thing is that the whole team and coaching staff have drawn lessons to better prepare for our main goal, which is the 33rd SEA Games in December,” he added.

Experts assessed that the biggest weakness of the Vietnamese women's volleyball team lies in their defense and unstable first pass, making their attacking strategy easier to counter.

Additionally, the team urgently needs to find a replacement for key attacker Bích Tuyền, whose absence has clearly weakened their offensive strength. The loss to Kenya highlighted weaknesses that must be addressed but also served as a necessary warning for the team to adjust tactics, strengthen personnel, and aim for more important goals in regional competitions.

The 33rd SEA Games in December in Thailand will be the stage where the Vietnamese women's volleyball team aims to win the gold medal, and the experience gained from this World Championship will surely be an important asset for the journey ahead.