8 hours ago
4
Naturalized striker Nguyen Xuan Son scored a brace in the second half to take Vietnam's lead to 3-0 against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
-
74'
Young striker Viet Cuong had the chance to score Vietnam's fourth goal after coming on as a substitute for just three minutes, as he sprinted down and faced Hazmi, but couldn't beat the keeper.
-
74'
Malaysia also made two more substitutions.
-
71'
Vietnam made two substitutions, with Tran Dinh Trong and Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong coming on for Do Duy Manh and Nguyen Hai Long. For Trong, this is his first game for the national team after a long absence due to fitness problems.
-
70'
Despite making substitutions, Malaysia still couldn't take back control of the game. They lacked attacking ideas and continued letting Vietnam maintain possession.
-
60'
Three goals of Vietnam in this game so far all came from headers.
-
59'
Third goal for Vietnam. A brace for Xuan Son.
Xuan Son got his brace and it's still a header, as he jumped high to receive a cross from the right flank, leaving Hazmi no chance.
-
52'
Two Brazilian-born players linking up for the second goal of Vietnam is something that fans have been waiting for.
Nguyen Xuan Son celebrates after scoring by showing off his abs. He had received questions about his form after returning recently following more than one-year absence with a broken leg. Photo by Duc Dong
Nguyen Xuan Son (number 12) celebrates with his teammates, including his Brazilian-born fellow Hoang Hen (number 9) who provided his assist. Photo by Duc Dong
-
51'
2-0 for Vietnam!
Xuan Son got his late birthday present with a header goal! Hoang Hen provided the assist with a delicate yet accurate cross.
-
49'
Filip made a great save when Harith Haiqal got a dangerous header from a corner kick.
-
46'
Second half underway
No changes were made after the break.
Malaysia, with seven newly naturalized players, had crushed Vietnam 4-0 in the second match of Group F at Bukit Jalil Stadium on June 10, 2025.
This resounding victory seemed to usher Malaysian football into a new era. However, after much controversy, on March 17, 2026, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided to hand Malaysia 0-3 forfeit defeats against Vietnam and Nepal due to the use of falsified documents in the naturalization process of these players.
As a result, Malaysia lost the top spot in Group F as well as qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup to Vietnam. Their winless streak against Vietnam thus continued for 12 years. The last time Malaysia tasted victory against Vietnam was in the 2014 AFF Cup (now the ASEAN Cup) semi-final.
Amidst overwhelming difficulties, the rematch against Vietnam is seen as an opportunity for coach Peter Cklamovski and his team to regain their honor. The Australian coach has repeatedly mentioned "control" after the incident, implying that everything in the locker room and on the field remains under his control.
The opponent's fighting spirit is also a motivation for Vietnam, as coach Kim Sang-sik's team aim for a win.
"We aim for a 2-0 victory," the South Korean coach said. "The previous 0-4 defeat is still very difficult for us to accept."
|
