The Vietnamese team is rated higher than Malaysia by fans before the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-final.
According to supercomputer B.S, Vietnam has a 52.1% chance of winning, while the probability of Malaysia winning is 25.3%. The possibility of the two teams sharing points is 22.6%.
In addition, the model also predicts that coach Kim Sang-sik and his team have an expected goal difference (xG) of 1.87, higher than Malaysia's 1.24.
If the Vietnamese team wins, 2-1 is the most likely score to appear with 9.7%. The next two options are 1-0 (8.3%) and 2-0 (7.8%).
In the opposite direction, the highest predicted score if Malaysia wins is 2-1 with a rate of 6.4%, and 1-1 is a draw scenario with the highest probability at 10.4%.
These predictions partly reflect the pre-match balance. Vietnam is at the top of Group A with 10 points after 4 unbeaten matches, scoring 13 goals and conceding only 1 goal. The defending champion also has a head-to-head advantage when winning 9/10 recent matches against Malaysia.
However, Vietnam's attack needs to improve the ability to convert opportunities. The team made 74 shots in the group stage but only 24 shots were on target, with a conversion rate of 57.6%.
Before the match, coach Kim Sang-sik assessed that Malaysia is a strong opponent and has a balanced playing style when they often use a 4-4-2 formation, showing that they have good balance in their playing style.
The first leg semi-final between Malaysia vs Vietnam takes place in Kuala Lumpur at 8:00 PM today (August 16).
