Main attacker Thanh Thuy shines brilliantly at the 2026 AVC Cup

During her first appearance in the starting lineup at this year's AVC Cup, "4T" quickly left her mark.

Main attacker Tran Thi Thanh Thuy shone brightly, helping the Vietnamese women's volleyball team come from behind to defeat Indonesia 3-2 (18-25; 25-22; 25-18; 19-25; 15-13) in the third match of Group B at the 2026 AVC Cup on the evening of June 8, Hanoi time.

According to statistics on the official website of the FIVB Live Center (International Volleyball Federation), Thanh Thuy recorded 22 points, including 21 attack points and 1 block point. She was the second-highest scorer of the match, trailing behind Indonesia's Ersandrina Devega Salsabila by 4 points.

This was a match in which Thanh Thuy faced considerable difficulties. The Indonesian opponents played with great determination, solid defense, and fiery spirit, blocking many of "4T"'s back-row attacks, partly because her teammates also fed her the ball too often when she had just completed her approach.

Nevertheless, Thanh Thuy still fulfilled her role well. The main attacker, who belongs to VTV Binh Dien Long An, consistently delivered points through her versatility and changing playing style: both powerful spikes and clever wrist movements to deceive Indonesia's defense, which included some familiar faces from "4T"'s time with Gresik Petrokimia Pupuk.

Besides Thanh Thuy, Vi Thi Nhu Quynh and Le Nhu Anh also made significant contributions on the offensive front with 22 points each (tied with Thuy) and 15 points, respectively. However, overall, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team's performance in this match was not entirely convincing, with many unnecessary hitting errors.

It should be noted that the challenge for coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet's team in defending their title is much greater, with the participation of South Korea—a former Asian powerhouse that competed in last season's VNL. The recent Indonesian team did not even have their number one star, Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi, in action.

The match against Indonesia was also the first time Tran Thi Thanh Thuy started from the beginning at this year's AVC Cup. Previously, she did not play in the opening match against Lebanon and only entered the court in the third set of the match against Hong Kong.