Asian Games: India open men's volleyball campaign with straight-sets win over Vietnam
Nagoya, Sep 27
India made a winning start to their men's volleyball campaign at the Asian Games 2026, defeating Vietnam 3-0 in their opening Pool C match at Aichi-Nagoya.
India held their nerve in a tight first set and then took charge of the contest, eventually wrapping up a straight-sets victory 25-23, 25-21, 25-20.
The Indian side had to toil hard in the first set as Vietnam kept the pressure on but the team managed to inch ahead at the all-important stages to take a 1-0 lead. India carried that momentum into the second set and played a much more assured game to win 25-21.
India maintained their composure in the third set and wrapped it up 25-20 for a convincing win after getting the opportunity to close out the match.
India is participating in a 16-team men's volleyball event at the 20th Asian Games, where the teams have been divided into four pools of four. The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the quarter-finals with classification matches to determine the remaining placings.
India have been pooled in Pool C alongside Vietnam, Hong Kong China and Qatar. Their last pool stage games are against Hong Kong China and Qatar.
The Volleyball Federation of India has selected a 12-member squad for the continental showpiece, with setter Muthusamy Appavu the senior member of the group. Jerome Vinith Charles and Muhammad Nihal Chatham Kulangara are among the other notable players in the squad.
There is no Indian representation in the women's volleyball event at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Volleyball made its Asian Games debut at Tokyo 1958, where India claimed the bronze medal. The Indian men's team have won three medals in the history of the continental event, including silver in 1962 and bronze medals in 1958 and 1986.
At the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, India finished sixth after losing to Pakistan in the classification stage.
— IANS
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