With the change in format, this year's volleyball tournament features a round-robin system, with four teams advancing to the semi-finals to compete for the championship, and four teams vying for two relegation spots. Therefore, all teams must maintain high levels of focus in every match. In the championship race, three teams currently hold an advantage after the first phase: Sanest Khánh Hòa (12 points), Biên Phòng (11 points), and Thể Công (10 points). The race for the semi-finals in the second phase also includes teams like Đà Nẵng (6 points) and Ninh Bình (6 points). Sanest Khánh Hòa and Biên Phòng, with their evenly matched squads, remain strong contenders for the championship title. In this second phase, Sanest Khánh Hòa only uses one foreign player, Evandro Dias Souza (Brazil). Biên Phòng continues to favor Thai players by recruiting Jakkrit Thanomoi. Thể Công shows high ambition by being the only team with two foreign players: Kiitihad Nuwaddee (Thailand) and Sergey Kostrov (Russia).
Sanest Khánh Hòa (left cover) is a championship contender.
"The exciting and dramatic developments in the women's tournament that just concluded in Lao Cai promise to be repeated in the men's tournament as the teams are well-prepared in terms of personnel, have trained thoroughly, and many teams are aiming for the highest title," said Mr. Le Tri Truong, General Secretary of the Vietnam Volleyball Federation.
The relegation battle is also extremely intense between the teams Vinh Long (1 point), Ha Tinh (4 points), Long An (5 points), and Hanoi (5 points). Hanoi is the only team that hasn't hired foreign players due to lack of funds. Therefore, it is predicted that they will face difficulties in the "relegation battle," as two teams are expected to be relegated this year. If the Hanoi men's team is relegated, it will be a very sad year for the capital's volleyball team, as the women's team has also just been relegated. The other teams have prepared their squads quite well, focusing on acquiring skilled foreign players to carry the team. Vinh Long has Kazakhstani player Alexandr Fomenko, Ha Tinh has Cuban hitter Jorge Gonzlez Garcia, and Long An has Cambodian player Kuon Mom.
Mr. Le Tri Truong stated that, similar to the women's league, the 2024 men's national volleyball championship serves as a stepping stone to the 2025 season, with the expectation of an increasingly professional tournament. Accordingly, the 2025 national championship will only have 8 teams instead of the current 9. This will lead to fierce competition, requiring clubs to invest more. This also provides a basis for the expectation of further developing high-level volleyball in Vietnam, thereby producing more talents for the national team to compete in international tournaments.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giai-bong-chuyen-nam-quoc-gia-2024-hap-dan-cuoc-dua-vo-dich-va-tru-hang-185241121151324522.htm
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