Indonesia Becomes Runner-up in the First Round of the 2026 SEA V Cup

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Men's Volleyball National Team (National Team) had to settle for finishing as runners-up in the first round of the 2026 SEA V Cup after losing to Cambodia in the last match.

Reidel Toiran's squad failed to secure the title after surrendering 2-3 (23-25, 26-28, 25-23, 25-22, and 11-15) against Cambodia in the final match which took place at the Candon City Arena, Philippines, on Sunday, July 19, 2026.

The defeat was painful because Indonesia previously managed to beat Cambodia with a landslide score of 3-0 in the group stage. However, the situation changed drastically in the final match after Cambodia came with high confidence because they could eliminate Thailand in the semi-finals.

Nur Widayanto as assistant coach admitted that the victory over Thailand in the semifinals made the mental of the Cambodian players increase drastically when facing Indonesia in the final match.

"The work of our team is to start a less good match so that their mental is getting better," he said in an official statement from the Public Relations Office of the Indonesian Volleyball Association (PP PBVSI).

Cambodia immediately sent a warning signal since the opening set. They were aggressive and disciplined in defending so many times they were able to break the Indonesian attack pattern. The dominance made Cambodia open the gap to seven points before Indonesia rose at the end of the set.

Indonesia's resistance made the match come back to life. The gap was cut, but Cambodia remained calm in the face of pressure and finally secured the first set with a narrow 25-23 victory.

The duel was much tighter in the second set. Both teams took turns leading the score in long rallies that forced the match to go to deuce. However, Cambodia again appeared more effective in crucial moments to lock in the second set with a score of 28-26.

Being on the verge of defeat did not make Indonesia lose heart. The team coached by Riedel Toiran actually showed character by rising in the third set. Playing more calmly and effectively at the decisive points made Indonesia able to extend the match.

The momentum continued in the fourth set. Indonesia's confidence increased, while Cambodia began to lose the rhythm of the game. As a result, the Red-White Team was able to seize the set with a score of 25-22 to force the match to be determined through the fifth set.

Unfortunately, Indonesia's revival failed to end well. In the deciding set, Cambodia found their best game again. They immediately took the lead from the start and maintained the lead until the end of the match.

The success also confirmed Cambodia's status as the biggest surprise in the first round of the 2026 SEA V Cup. After surprising Thailand, they again created a sensation by defeating Indonesia who came to the tournament with the status as the AVC Cup 2026 champion.

Meanwhile, Thailand ended the tournament in third place after defeating Vietnam 3-1 in the third place match. The White Elephant won by a score of 23-25, 30-28, 25-20, and 28-26.

The competition for the 2026 SEA V Cup is not over yet. The second round will take place in Indonesia on July 22-26, 2026. This opportunity is an opportunity for Indonesia to avenge the defeat from Cambodia while maintaining the hope of defending the title.