Thai spikers trounce Taiwan, but arch-rivals Vietnam wait in wings
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Thailand enjoyed mixed fortunes in the FIVB World Volleyball Championship Asian Zone Final Round Qualifier yesterday, with their women's team thrashing Taiwan in straight sets in Nagoya, Japan but the men going down tamely to Kazakhstan in Canberra.
The Thai women, world No 16 and current AVC Cup champions, made it two wins in a row in the five-team, single round-robin Pool A clash. After outclassing Australia in straight sets in the curtain-raiser on Wednesday, the Thai squad came out in full force against world No 30 Taiwan.
Fielding a strong line-up including powerful attacker Onuma Sittirak, Wilavan Apinyapong and Pleumjit Thinkaow, Thailand were also strengthened by teen sensation Thatdao Nuekjang, the youngest (19) and the tallest (183cm) in the team. Against a Taiwan team they beat in straight sets in last year’s AVC Cup preliminaries, Thailand started strongly, with Onuma pounding powerful jump serves and Thatdao and Pleumjit taking turns to fire sharp, fast spikes to clinch the opener 25-18.
Fans in the Park Arena Komak then witnessed a volleyball master class as the Thais unleashed a barrage of spectacular attacks and scintillating blocking to surge through the final two sets 25-9 25-11.
Two victories from two means Thailand have so far collected six points. They next take on Vietnam today in a match crucial to their prospects in the five-day tournament. A win would guarantee the Thai women a berth in next year’s World Championship Finals in Italy.
“I think we played every part of the game well and tried hard to reduce unforced errors,” Thailand captain Wilavan Apinyapong told reporters after the match. “We followed the head coach’s game plan, which was the key to success against Taiwan,”
Thailand head coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai said: “We succeeded in making good use of our tactics in this match. Everyone did their best. I also want to thank all the fans who are supporting us here in Komaki and those in Thailand watching us via Channel 3. We will do our best in the remaining two matches.”
Today, Thailand play SEA Games arch-rivals Vietnam, with the match live on Channel 3 from 2pm.
Elsewhere, the Thai men’s team, SEA Games champions and fourth at the last Asian Games, went down in three sets 17-25 15-25 22-25 to Kazakhstan at the AIS Arena in Canberra. They next play Kuwait, at 2pm today.
Hosts and world No 12 Australia, Kuwait, Thailand and Kazakhstan are competing in the single round-robin three-day event. The top team from the pool will secure a berth for next year’s FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship Finals in Poland.
