Thailand renew rivalry with Vietnam, as Bahrain face off against Korea in the highly-anticipated semifinals of the 2023 AVC Challenge Cup for Men, the Asia’s qualifying tournament from which the eventual champions will secure their berth for the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup in Doha, Qatar in late July and open up their opportunity to get promoted and compete in the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
Contesting the crucial Ranking 1-6 match, world No.64 and former consecutive four-time Southeast Asian (SEA) Games winners Thailand, survived a huge scare from Indonesia to put an end to the formidable opponents’ unbeaten run in this competitive competition with hard-fought five-set win 25-20, 25-27, 20-25, 25-16, 15-12 in grueling 124 minutes.
Anurak Phanram and Napadet Bhinijdee scored 16 points apiece for Thailand, while Anut Promchan added crucial 15 points for the winning team. Indonesian star spiker Rivan Nurmulki registered a match-high 23 points including 22 attacks on the team’s stunning loss.
Thailand will go up against Vietnam in the Friday’s semifinals, renewing their SEA Games rivalry. In the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia early this year, Vietnam outplayed Thailand in straight sets in the third-place playoff clash to win bronze medal.
Bahrain, current world No.79, also sprang a surprise on Thursday following their dramatic 3-1 (25-19, 25-22, 18-25, 25-18) victory against world No.37 Australia, which had already competed in the FIVB Volleyball Nations Leagues for three times in 2018, 2019 and 2021. However, the upset loss ended the Aussies’ opportunity to re-qualify for the 2024 VNL.
Mohamed Abdulla Yaqoob scored 17 points including 12 attacks and 3 aces for Bahrain, added by Anan with 16 and Ebrahim 10 points respectively. Sam Flowerday claimed 11 points including 10 attacks from 18 attempts on the Australia’s loss.
In the Friday’s semifinals, Bahrain will go up against hot favorites Korea, which picked up bronze medal at the last year’s FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup in Seoul and had made their debut effort in the first edition of the VNL in 2018.
Meanwhile, in the Ranking Round 7-12, Philippines see off Macao, China in lopsided affair 25-15, 25-16, 25-17 at Taipei Gym on Thursday. Ryan Andrew Ka chipped in with 11 points for Philippines, while Ling Ngai Tong led Macao, Chin with 7 points.
The other clash of the Ranking 7-12, powerful Ilya Tavolzhanskiy spearheaded world No.68 Kazakhstan to comfortable straightest 25-18, 25-16, 25-15 win against Hong Kong, China.
Tavolzhanskiy scored a match-high 21 points from 19 attacks, one block and one ace for Kazakhstan, while Wan Ka Nam bagged 9 points for Hong Kong, China.
In the round-robin Classification Round for 13-15 places, Sri Lanka stormed past Saudi Arabia, silver medallists at the last year’s Asian Men’s Challenge Cup in Kyrgyzstan, in sensational straight sets 25-15, 25-17, 25-14.
Jayalath Arachchige Mahela Indeewara Bandara led the Sri Lanka’s charge with 16 points from 13 attacks and team-leading 3 aces, while Reda Alsharfa led Saudi Arabia with 16 points including 15 attacks.
On Friday, the penultimate day of the tournament, Korea will take on Bahrain and Thailand challenge Vietnam in the semifinals at University of Taipei Hall, while Philippines play Mongolia and Hong Kong, China meet Macao, China in the Ranking 7-12 at Taipei Gym. The remaining encounter of the Ranking 7-12 at University of Taipei Hall sees Chinese Taipei pit their expertise against Kazakhstan.
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