Pre-match information
The first leg semi-final of the 2025-2026 Southeast Asian Club Championship between Nam Dinh and Selangor is considered balanced, as both teams show stable form and ambition to compete for the championship.
Selangor entered the match with great confidence under coach Kim Pan Gon. Since this coach took office, the Malaysian representative has only lost 1 of 18 matches in all competitions. In the most recent match in the national championship, Selangor won big against Penang 4-0, thereby consolidating their position in the leading group.
Selangor's playing style is built on the foundation of fitness, speed and high organization. This team is also determined to take advantage of the home field to create an advantage before the second leg. Coach Kim Pan Gon emphasized the goal of affirming the ability of Malaysian football against opponents in the region, including Vietnamese clubs.
On the opposite side, Nam Dinh won the right to enter the semi-finals with an impressive record in the group stage (4 wins, 1 draw). The Nam Dinh team is also showing signs of improvement after coach Vu Hong Viet returned to lead. Before the away trip, Nam Dinh had a 2-0 victory over Cong An TPHCM in V.League.
Despite having to play away from home, Nam Dinh still possesses a quality force, in which striker Nguyen Xuan Son is a big expectation in attack. This striker once scored 2 goals against Malaysia when wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey in March, and is expected to continue to maintain his form against representatives of the same country at the club level.
With the relative strength and current form, the match is predicted to be tight. The results of the first leg will be of great significance, creating an advantage for one of the two teams before the rematch at Thien Truong Stadium.
