The rematch between Vietnam and Malaysia takes place when the situation of Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers has been determined.
After the Asian Football Confederation's decision regarding the use of ineligible players, the Malaysian team was defeated in 2 matches and deducted 6 points, thereby losing the opportunity to enter the finals. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese team rose to the top of the group with 15 points and won a ticket to the next round one match early.
Although there is no longer a decisive factor, this confrontation still has its own meaning for both teams.
In terms of head-to-head history, the Vietnamese team has an advantage when they have won all 5 recent encounters, scoring 12 goals and conceding only 2 goals. The result of losing 0-4 in the previous first leg is also no longer valid after the penalty for Malaysia.
In terms of force, the away team has many changes when they do not have the service of the naturalized players who participated before. This forces the coaching staff to adjust the squad and tactical system.
Although there are still some pillars such as Dion Cools or Endrick dos Santos, the Malaysian team is somewhat affected in spirit. The playing style leaning towards fitness, long balls and speed is still maintained, but the effectiveness depends heavily on the coordination ability of existing factors.
In the opposite direction, the Vietnamese team maintains the familiar framework and has some new options. In defense, the return of Doan Van Hau and Tran Dinh Trong brings more options, while Bui Hoang Viet Anh will support air combat capabilities.
The midfield has Do Hoang Hen with a tendency to play high, directly participating in attacks. In attack, Nguyen Xuan Son plays the role of center forward, combined with Hoang Hen in creating space and deploying attacks.
The match between Vietnam and Malaysia will take place at 7:00 p.m. today (March 31), broadcast live on VTV7, VTVgo and FPT Play.
