Taiwan men's volleyball team loses close five-setter to South Korea

Taiwan's men's volleyball team narrowly lost to rival South Korea in a thrilling five-set match at the 2026 East Asian Men's Volleyball Championship. The final score was 23-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 22-24, leaving Taiwan with a preliminary record of one win and one loss.

Star player Chang Yu-sheng was instrumental for Taiwan, scoring a match-high 30 points, including 10 in the decisive fifth set. Wen Yi-kai contributed 26 points, and Liu Yu-lin added 15. Despite their strong offensive performance, Taiwan couldn't secure the victory in the crucial final moments.

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I hope to adjust my form through this competition, game by game, and save my best for the upcoming Asian Championships and Asian Games.

Chang attributed his high scoring to his teammates creating opportunities for him. He acknowledged that neither he nor the team are at their peak performance yet, emphasizing the need to improve their rhythm and team coordination. "I hope to adjust my form through this competition, game by game, and save my best for the upcoming Asian Championships and Asian Games," Chang stated.

He also praised his team's resilience, noting their focus and execution of tactics regardless of the score. The upcoming match against Japan is critical, as the winner will advance to the semifinals. Both teams currently hold a 1-1 record in the preliminary round.

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I think everyone performed best today, regardless of whether they were leading or trailing, they didn't give up. Every point was focused on executing tactics and encouraging each other, which allowed us to fight with South Korea until the end.