Vietnam women's sepak takraw doubles reach Asiad 20 final after thrilling comeback against South Korea

When the wicker ball hit the court at 13-13 in the second set, the whole stand held its breath. I remembered the phrase that has haunted me since 2026: “Sport is not in the court, it is in the heartbeat of the viewer.” The sepak takraw court at the Asiad 20 was not empty because of a pandemic, but the heartbeats of Vietnamese fans were hanging on the net. The duo of Nguyen Thi Thu Trang and Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly stood at the threshold of history: win this point, they reach the final; lose, all their group-stage work disappears. Sepak takraw is a net sport where players use feet, chest, and head to send the rattan ball over the net to the opponent's side. It is often confused with volleyball because of the same net-based scoring, but the rules are very different: sets of 15 points, first to win two sets. Because sets are short, small score differences become extremely important. In the group stage, the pair Thu Trang – Khanh Ly unexpectedly lost 1-2 to Laos in the opener, alarming experts. But they then won 2-0 against Myanmar and Malaysia, passing the group stage as one of the strongest teams. Entering the semifinal against South Korea, Vietnam again started slowly. They allowed the opponent to lead 4-1 and then 6-3 in the first set. Coach Nguyen Thi Vui made a bold decision: replace Khanh Ly with Hong Lien. With only two players on court, one substitution means breaking the opponent's rhythm. Hong Lien delivered precise angled finishes, turning the Korean side into a training ground. Vietnam scored 12 consecutive points, a rarely seen flood in modern sepak takraw, and closed the first set 15-6. The second set was a repeat but even more dramatic. South Korea again surged, leading 5-1 then 7-3. If slow starts happened only once, you could blame the venue or nerves. But two consecutive sets following the same pattern signal a structural problem, not luck. Still, the team kept patience. Thu Trang used clever drop shots, and Hong Lien again played heroine with powerful kicks at decisive moments. Vietnam came back to win 15-13, officially securing a final berth against the Philippines. Looking at the scoreboard, the 12-point run is a shocking number. But from my experience following matches, it says more about South Korea's loss of focus than Vietnam's absolute strength. If the opponent had not let go at 6-3 in the first set, the story could have been different. The final against the Philippines takes place at 7:40 a.m. on September 29 – an unusual time slot that can affect the circadian rhythm of both teams. Notably, on September 28, the Vietnamese men's regu team stopped in the semifinal and won a bronze medal. The Vietnamese delegation had gone through September 26 and 27 without medals, so this final ticket is a saving grace for the entire games. The comeback story is inspiring, but the blind spot is why the team always pays the price with a slow first set. A team that wants to be champion cannot rely on emotion to flip the match. The Philippines has lost to Vietnam many times historically, but past results do not guarantee gold. The decisive issue is not spirit, but the way the team manages rhythm from the first serve. The coaching staff must answer clearly: does Hong Lien – the heroine of the semifinal – deserve to start from the beginning, or is she only a bench weapon? The way they answer will decide the medal color tomorrow morning.