Japan reversed Thailand for a fifth consecutive victory in the Nations League
Japan's volleyball players continue their winning streak in this year's edition of the Nations League. Ferhat Akbas' proteges dramatically prevailed 3:2 (18:25, 23:25, 25:20, 25:15, 15:11) over Thailand in a match played in Hong Kong. This is the fifth consecutive success for the Japanese women, who lead the temporary standings with 14 points.
Comeback after a difficult start
The match started poorly for Japan - they lost the first two sets, making numerous errors and looking unsure in both attack and defense. Thailand showed organization and aggression, dominating with 25:18 and 25:23.
The change came in the third set, when Japan stabilized their reception and increased pressure in attack. A sharp turnaround followed - the Asian team took control and with a convincing 25:15 difference in the fourth set, they equalized the score. In the tie-break, the Japanese women demonstrated mental resilience and completed the comeback with 15:11.
Individual heroines
The big star of the match wasYukiko Wadawho scored29 points- of which 2 aces and 3 blocks. Her performance was crucial, especially in critical moments of the match.Yoshino Satoalso made a significant contribution with21 pointsand stable play at the net (3 blocks).
Harri ShimamuraandMayu Ishikawacompleted the attack with 16 points each, and Ishikawa's contribution in defense was also noticeable. For Thailand, the top scorer wasThandao Nuekjangwith21 points(1 ace and 3 blocks), andVarisara S.added 14 points.
Statistical Analysis
A look at the overall team statistics reveals why Japan managed to turn the match around:
Attack: The Japanese recorded a total of82 successful attacks against 62 for Thailand, which clearly shows their dominance in offense, especially in the second part of the match.
Block and serve: Both teams were almost equal - Japan with 10 blocks against 9 for Thailand and 3 aces against 2.
Errors: Here lies one of Japan's main advantages -only 11 unforced errors against 23 for their opponent, which gave them extra points effortlessly.
Total points: 106 against 96 in favor of Japan, confirming their overall superiority.
In additional elements of the game, the Japanese again had a slight advantage: more successful digs (119 against 114), slightly better organization in distribution (184 against 180 passes), and even though they were behind in reception (91 against 96), they managed to compensate this with effectiveness in subsequent actions.
Standings and Prospects
After this dramatic victory, Japan isleader in the provisional standingswith5 wins and 14 points. Thailand remains in14th positionwithone win and 4 points. The form of the Japanese women is an indication that they will be among the main contenders for the final phase of the tournament, and their squad shows depth, character, and stable mental resilience.
photo: .volleyballworld.com
