The Vietnamese team entered the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-finals with a position considered higher than the opponent. However, in response to local press, striker Sumareh did not see it as a decisive factor.
According to the Malaysian national team midfielder, the important thing for the home team is to maintain the playing style that helped them get through the group stage and continue to develop through each match.
The Vietnamese team is rated higher, which is obvious. But this is the semi-finals. We are a progressive team through each match. And in the semi-finals, anything can happen. We can surprise them, but we must continue to remain humble as we have done throughout this tournament. Malaysia will enter the match and continue to do what we have done," Sumareh shared.
The 31-year-old player also mentioned the role of young faces in Malaysia's journey. Some new members were called up to the national team for the first time, even without much experience at the professional level.
This veteran striker said: "Young players deserve praise. They dedicate everything. For some of them, this is the first time they have been called up to the national team without professional playing experience, but they came and fought to the end.
What makes a team is not 11 stars, but 11 teammates standing side by side. That's why we can go this far. I'm very proud of my teammates and what they show.
The Malaysian team will play the first leg of the semi-finals in Kuala Lumpur on August 16, before playing away at My Dinh in the second leg on August 19. This is a notable reunion in the Southeast Asian arena when Malaysia once met Vietnam in the 2018 ASEAN Cup final and suffered a defeat with a total score of 2-3.
