Thailand break Chinese will in thrilling semi-final

The victory was a repeat of the Thai team’s shock win in 2009 when they beat perennial champions China to be crowned Asian champions for the first time in their history.

The win also gave Thailand their second-ever appearance in the final, which will today see them take on the winners of last night’s match between Japan and South Korea.

China, who had beaten Thailand twice during the China International Invitation Tournament in Shenzhen and Ningbo last May, yesterday opened up with a barrage from their “twin towers” – the 195cm-tall Xu Yunli and 195cm Zhu Ting.

Thailand, fielding five players from their 2009 Asian crown-winning team, began to buckle under the pressure and saw the first set slip away 25-19 to China. 

 But if anything, the noise levels of the 5,000-strong home crowd packing the venue increased, powering superb Thai play in the second set that saw them level the clash with a 25-19 win. The home team maintained their incredible form to capture the third 25-22 but China then strengthened their defence to take a thrilling fourth set 25-21 and tie things at 2-2.

Into the tiebreaker, home fans’ hearts were pounding as their team withstood wave after wave of pressure. 

When Thailand finally broke the deadlock to stun the fighting Chinese with a do-or die 16-14 win, the roar from the stands was deafening.

Earlier, Vietnam came from behind to beat Taiwan in a hard-fought five-set thriller 19-25 22-25 25-16 25-18 15-13. World No 93 Vietnam, silver medallists six times in a row at the SEA Games, today go up against Kazakhstan in the 5th-6th play-off.

Taiwan will battle it out against Iran, who went down to Kazakhstan 1-3 (16-25 22-25 25-2120-25) in the 7th-8th play-off.