Jakarta, IO – Indonesia’s beach volleyball duo Bintang Akbar/Sofyan Rachman advanced to the round of 16 at the AVC Beach Continental 2026 as Group E winners after beating Japan’s Takahashi/Ikeda 2-0 in Shangluo, China, on Thursday, September 3.
Bintang/Sofyan took control from the start, winning the opening set 21-16. They maintained their momentum in the second set and wrapped up the match with a 21-15 win.
The victory over the Japanese pair also kept Bintang/Sofyan’s perfect record intact in the group stage. They won all three of their matches without dropping a single set.
The match against Takahashi/Ikeda was crucial in determining the Group E winner. Both pairs had previously picked up two wins and had yet to lose a set.
Bintang/Sofyan proved more consistent when it mattered. After taking the first set 21-16, the Indonesian pair stayed solid to close out the match 21-15 in the second.
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In the round of 16, Bintang/Sofyan will face New Zealand’s Sam O’Dea/Ben O’Dea. It will be their next test as they look to keep their run going in the tournament.
Indonesian national beach volleyball coach Slamet Mulyanto had previously set his sights on Bintang/Sofyan finishing top of their group. The position is expected to give the Indonesian pair an advantage heading into the knockout stage.
“Bintang/Sofyan played really well. Against New Zealand, they can’t let their guard down. Keep pushing and go for the win,” Slamet said. (rp)
