Sports Hot News March 22 Evening: Vietnamese volleyball star heads to Thailand, stands before championship opportunity

Sports Hot News March 22 Evening: Assistant attacker Ly Thi Luyen has chance to crown with Nakhon Ratchasima; Mourinho furious over coaching ban...

Ly Thi Luyen stands before championship opportunity in Thailand

The women's volleyball team Nakhon Ratchasima Qumin C VC continues to display strength with their third consecutive victory, firmly holding the top spot in the 2026 Thailand Volleyball League standings. In the match at the Finals held on March 21 in Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima Qumin C VC defeated Supreme Thiti Chonburi-E Tech 3-1, extending their winning streak to three matches and maintaining the leading position with 9 points. Supreme Thiti Chonburi-E Tech currently has 1 win – 1 loss, 3 points, ranking second.

Vietnamese volleyball assistant attacker Ly Thi Luyen, standing 1.95m tall, is making a strong impression in the Thailand Women's Volleyball Championship with Club Nakhon Ratchasima VC. Joining the team late in phase 2, she shone immediately in her debut match and became the tallest athlete in the league, attracting attention from fans due to her outstanding height.

By playing for Nakhon Ratchasima, Ly Thi Luyen could potentially win the championship title in her very first season in Thailand.

Mourinho furious over coaching ban

Jose Mourinho is displeased with being banned from coaching at Benfica, calling the punishment "based on a lie" after receiving his 15th career red card for allegedly kicking a ball towards Porto's bench in the match on March 9. He explained that the ball merely flew into the stands after a goal, as has happened many times before, and was not aimed at the opponent.

"Regarding the dismissal, there are two things. The referee said he penalized me because I kicked the ball towards FC Porto's bench, which is completely false. I don't know if it was three, four, or five times, but I have done this many times at Luz Stadium, after we score, the ball goes into the stands. A way of celebrating and giving the ball to a lucky fan. I know the technique isn't good, but the ball only headed towards the stands," Mourinho stated.

Mourinho affirmed this viewpoint after returning to the coaching bench in Benfica's 3-0 victory over Vitoria de Guimaraes. When asked if he felt "persecuted" by Portuguese referees and sports authorities, he said: "No, because this is the first punishment since I joined Benfica. But it is very clear that what they accused me of is not true."

Malaysian football absent from ASIAD 2026

According to News Strait Times, Malaysia's hopes of participating in the football event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games (ASIAD 2026) have ended after the OCA (Olympic Council of Asia) rejected information about relaxed participation rules. The men's and women's tournaments remain limited to 16 teams, based on the agreement between OCA and AFC from 2024-2028.

Malaysia U23 is excluded due to the unified qualification system, directly linked to the results of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers; only teams that qualify for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals in Saudi Arabia secure spots for the Asian Games. Vietnam and Thailand had already secured qualification, while Malaysia had no opportunity. Additionally, the Malaysia U23 team previously withdrew from the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games to prioritize the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, and focused on the 2023 SEA Games and the Southeast Asian U23 tournament. Malaysia U23's best performance at the Asian Games was reaching the round of 16 at the tournament held in Indonesia 2018.

Chelsea coach disappointed over Everton defeat

Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior called the 0-3 loss to Everton "the most disappointing evening ever," after Chelsea was overwhelmed both tactically and physically at Hill Dickinson Stadium. This was the fourth defeat in 10 days, including a 2-8 aggregate loss to PSG in the Champions League, extending the worst losing streak since April-May 2023. Chelsea also failed to score in three consecutive matches across all competitions for the first time since September 2023. Rosenior admitted the defeat was very painful, but still saw a bright spot as Manchester United and Liverpool also dropped points in the top 4 race.

"This is a disappointing moment for the club, both in how we lost in the Champions League and the last two matches. My job is difficult, losing a football match is always painful," the Chelsea coach stated.

He emphasized: "This is the most disappointing evening ever, because we did not control the match, lacked solidity, and both the result and performance fell far short of expectations."

Greenwood wants to join Juventus

Mason Greenwood is aiming to leave Marseille and move to Juventus this summer, continuing his journey in Europe. The 24-year-old forward is unhappy in Ligue 1 and wants to try Serie A, while Manchester United will receive a significant portion of the transfer fee. However, Greenwood worries that secret clauses or high fees demanded by Marseille could cause the deal to collapse. Juventus is eager to rebuild the squad and win titles after several unsuccessful seasons.

At the same time, Real Madrid center-back Antonio Rudiger is also on Juventus's radar, with a potential free transfer at the end of the season. Despite good form at Real, Rudiger's long-term future in Spain remains uncertain as no contract extension agreement has been reached. Juventus has opened negotiations with Rudiger for a two-year contract, and he is carefully considering the next step in his career.

Arsenal's "prodigy" manages his own company

Arsenal's "prodigy," Max Dowman, 16 years old, owns his own image rights management company MRD Images Limited, with parents Robert and Caroline Dowman as directors, while Robert also established Pantheon Sports Management to manage his son's career. Max became the youngest player to score in Premier League history with a stoppage-time goal helping Arsenal defeat Everton 2-0 last weekend. When he turns 17 in December, he will sign a contract worth £35,000 per week.

Beyond salary, Max is expected to earn substantial income from image rights, following idols like David Beckham, with revenue from his name, image, signatures, logos, and jersey number. Outstanding performances have led to comparisons with Lionel Messi and Kaká, showing he is not only a promising young talent but also possesses significant commercial potential early on.