Thailand W vs Ukraine W

Thailand head coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai made tactical adjustments in the second set, freeing Sasipaporn Janthawisut to operate more effectively from the left pin. The adjustment paid immediate dividends. Thailand's passing stabilised, allowing setter Pornpun Guedpard to distribute more evenly and keep Ukraine's blockers guessing. Thailand raced to a 16-11 lead at the second technical timeout and never looked back. Thatdao Nuekjang delivered two critical kill blocks in the middle of the set, and Thailand closed on a 25-19 scoreline to level the match at one set apiece.

The third set was the match's defining passage — a 36-minute slugfest that featured 13 tied scores and six lead changes. Thailand built an early 10-6 advantage after a service run from Kokram, but Ukraine responded with a 7-1 burst to flip the score to 13-11. The lead seesawed from there. Thailand saved two set points at 24-23 and 25-24, the second on a solo rejection from Kaewkalaya Kamulthala, before taking their own set point at 26-25 on a Kongyot cross-court winner. But Ukraine answered immediately, winning the next three points — the last on a service winner that sealed the 28-26 set and a 2-1 lead in the match.

Facing elimination, Thailand showed the resilience that had been missing in their Week 1 matches. The home side came out with renewed energy in the fourth set, using a 5-0 run midway through to open a 15-10 advantage. Ukraine chipped away and closed within one at 21-20, but Thailand held their nerve. Nuttanicha Jaisaen delivered a crucial block at 23-22, and a Ukraine attack error gave Thailand the set 25-22, pushing the contest to a decisive fifth set.

Whatever momentum Thailand carried into the fifth set evaporated quickly. Ukraine stormed out of the gate with a 6-1 lead, punishing Thailand's reception with high-power serves aimed at the left-back area. Thailand called an early timeout trailing 8-2 at the changeover, but the deficit proved insurmountable. Ukraine won seven of the next 10 points, with their opposite hitter — likely Aleksandra Milenko based on her Week 1 form — delivering back-to-back kills to reach match point at 14-5. A Thailand service error ended the contest at 15-5 in the tie-break, giving Ukraine a 3-2 victory.

The result lifted Ukraine to 2-3 in the VNL 2026 standings, jumping them past several teams into mid-table in the preliminary phase. For Thailand, the loss extended their winless start to 0-5 in the competition, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the 18-team table alongside the Dominican Republic. The Thais have now won just four of the 19 sets they have played across five matches.

Thailand's Week 2 schedule offers no respite. They face Bulgaria on Thursday, followed by Canada on Saturday and the Netherlands on Sunday. Ukraine continue their Bangkok campaign against Poland on Thursday before taking on the Netherlands and Bulgaria later in the week.

For Ukraine, the attacking trio carried the load in the clutch moments, particularly in the third and fifth sets where their efficiency was significantly higher than Thailand's. The Ukrainian block also proved decisive, registering multiple roof blocks in the closing stages of the tight sets.

For Thailand, Ajcharaporn Kongyot led the scoring effort with consistent production from the outside, while Thatdao Nuekjang contributed at the net on both offense and defense. But errors at critical junctures — particularly on serve in the opening and closing sets — proved costly for a side that has now lost four of its five matches by either 2-3 or 0-3 margins.

Thailand will look to turn their season around on home soil against Bulgaria at 20:30 local time on Thursday. Ukraine face a stiff test against Poland earlier in the day. Both teams have everything to play for in a wide-open middle phase of the VNL preliminary round.