Trang An Ninh Binh wins the Hung Vuong Cup volleyball tournament.

Trang An Ninh Binh defeated Duc Long Gia Lai 3-2 to become champions.

The men's final of the 2013 Hung Vuong Cup volleyball tournament between Duc Long Gia Lai and Trang An Ninh Binh took place fiercely on the night of April 18th at the Viet Tri City Sports Arena (Phu Tho province).

With a stable squad and good morale, Trang An Ninh Binh took the lead 25-23, 25-10. With a 2-0 lead, it seemed the team from Hoa Lu would quickly defeat Duc Long Gia Lai in a decisive set. However, the team owned by "Chairman" Phap staged a spectacular comeback with the brilliant performance of the attacking duo Huu Ha and Van Hanh to equalize the score at 2-2. With this momentum, Duc Long Gia Lai consistently led Trang An Ninh Binh in the fifth set. However, in the crucial moments, the team from Pleiku showed a lack of composure, allowing Trang An Ninh Binh to win 15-11. Thus, they secured their fourth championship title in this tournament.

Despite the disappointing loss, Coach Bui Quang Ngoc of Duc Long Gia Lai stated that this tournament was beneficial for the team to gain more experience for the second round of the national championship: “Regarding the men's teams, I affirm that all four teams in this final round are deserving. Only Maseco Ho Chi Minh City entered after losing several matches; the other three teams, The Cong 15th Army Corps, Trang An Ninh Binh, and Duc Long Gia Lai, have a strong and cohesive team built over many years. The second round is still six months away, so we will learn from the shortcomings of the first round. Time is also on our side; however, the national team will be training during the break between the two rounds. Duc Long Gia Lai will have one or two players participating. Taking advantage of the six-month gap, if the club president agrees, we will strengthen our squad.”

In the women's championship match held earlier, Thong Tin Lien Viet Postbank had a fantastic game to defeat the strong contender, Vietinbank, with a decisive 3-0 victory. This was a result exceeding expectations and a sweet revenge for the Thong Tin girls, as last year, in the same tournament, Thong Tin Lien Viet Postbank lost to Vietinbank 2-3 in the final. Meanwhile, the men's third-place match saw The Cong - 15th Brigade win after defeating Maseco Ho Chi Minh City 3-1.

Following the 2013 Hung Vuong Cup, the teams will schedule training sessions and strengthen their squads in preparation for the second round of the national volleyball championship, which will take place six months later.

According to VOV - DT