Vietnam’s women’s volleyball team defeated Iran 3-0 to secure an early place in the AVC Cup 2026 semifinals.

After victories over Lebanon, Hong Kong (China) and Indonesia, Vietnam entered its fourth group-stage match determined to overcome Iran and seal a semifinal berth with a game to spare.

Iran arrived with a reputation for strong physicality and solid technical ability. Although the West Asian side had lost to Indonesia earlier in the tournament, it remained a dangerous opponent thanks to its powerful attacking style, particularly from the wings.

However, Vietnam was considered the stronger team overall, boasting greater depth in quality and a more cohesive playing system.

In the opening set, Iran created several difficult moments, but Vietnam maintained control to claim a 25-19 victory.

A similar pattern unfolded in the second set. Iran briefly took the lead at various stages, but continued to struggle at the net and eventually fell 20-25.

Thanh Thuy and her teammates showed impressive consistency throughout the match.

Iran delivered its strongest performance in the third set and built a 16-12 advantage. After Vietnam fought back to level the score at 19-19, the two sides engaged in a tense battle down the stretch.

In the decisive rally, an Iranian attacker sent the ball out of bounds, allowing Vietnam to edge the set 27-25 and complete a 3-0 victory.

The result guarantees head coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet’s team a place in the AVC Cup 2026 semifinals with one group-stage match remaining.

Vietnam will face Kazakhstan in its final group-stage fixture at 8:00 a.m. on June 12.

Vietnam’s AVC Cup 2026 schedule

June 6, 8:00 a.m. - Vietnam 3-0 Lebanon

June 7, 8:00 a.m. - Vietnam 3-0 Hong Kong (China)

June 8, 5:00 p.m. - Vietnam 3-2 Indonesia

June 11, 8:00 a.m. - Vietnam 3-0 Iran

June 12, 8:00 a.m. - Vietnam vs Kazakhstan

Dai Nam