Osaka: Unfortunately! The Thai women's volleyball team lost to Japan 1-3 sets in the VNL 2026 match and will face Brazil next Saturday.
According to Thai News Agency, the 2026 Women's Volleyball Nations League (VNL 2026) is in its third week, taking place from July 8-12, 2026, in Osaka, Japan. The Thai women's volleyball team, ranked 22nd in the world, lost their first match at this venue to the USA 0-3 sets. They have accumulated 9 points and are ranked 14th in the tournament. Their second match was against the host nation, Japan, ranked 6th in the world, who have 16 points and are ranked 7th in the tournament.
For this match, "Coach Ott" Kiatipong Ratchatagriengkrai, head coach of the Thai national team, fielded the following six starting players: Pornpun Guedparach (captain), Atcharaporn Kongyot, Thaddao Nuekjeng, Pimpichaya Kokram, Sasipaporn Chantavisut, Kaewkallaya Kamulthala, and libero Piyanut Pannoy. Meanwhile, Japan was led by captain Mayu Ishikawa, along with star hitters Yukiko Wada and Yoshino Sato.
In the first set, the Thai team put up a close fight against Japan in the early stages. However, Japan's strong defense and superior offense led to Thailand losing 15-25. In the second set, Japan's diverse offensive game continued to take the lead, particularly Yukiko Wada's excellent finishing. Although the Thai team tried to catch up, they lost again 21-25.
In set 3, the Thai team fought back well, with Pimpichaya Kokram consistently scoring points. The score remained close until the end of the set, when Thailand scored three consecutive points to win 25-22. In set 4, Thailand played well at the beginning before Japan caught up in the final stages, ultimately losing 22-25.
In summary, the Thai women's volleyball team lost to Japan 1-3 sets (15-25, 21-25, 25-22, 22-25). Their record now stands at 2 wins and 8 losses, with 9 points. Japan secured their first 3 points in this tournament, bringing their total to 7 wins and 3 losses, placing them 6th overall. The next match for the Thai team will be against Brazil, ranked 2nd in the world, on July 11th at 1:30 PM.