Speaking at a press conference before the match at Kuala Lumpur stadium on the afternoon of August 15, coach Tan Cheng Hoe said he was happy that Malaysia was present in the semi-finals, and called on fans to come to the stadium to motivate the home team.
Assessing the Vietnamese team, Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe admitted that this is a strong and experienced opponent.
Vietnam is a strong and experienced team. We do not have the best players but there are still many experienced players and young talents. Therefore, Malaysia needs to focus and be confident in themselves instead of focusing on Vietnam. Playing at home, we need to try our best to have a chance," Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe said.
The Malaysian force is currently facing some problems when many players are injured. This makes it difficult for coach Tan Cheng Hoe to arrange the optimal squad. However, he affirmed that he will find the most suitable option, and at the same time give opportunities for young players to play in the national team.
Malaysia ranked second in Group B after winning against Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines, but lost to Thailand. This is the 10th time in 16 regional tournament participations that Malaysia has reached the semi-finals.
Coach Tan Cheng Hoe used to hold the position of Technical Director of Malaysian football before being appointed as interim coach after the team parted ways with Australian coach Peter Cklamovski.
Despite experiencing many fluctuations in force, Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe assessed that Malaysia's entry into the semi-finals was a commendable achievement and did not want the players to find excuses.
We will not find excuses but fight together. The most important thing is that the players must enjoy this moment, confidently prove that they deserve to be here. I am very proud of my young students," Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe shared.
Head-to-head history is strongly leaning towards the Vietnamese team. Malaysia has lost 17 matches, drawn 3 and only won 5 matches against Vietnam. The last time Malaysia defeated Vietnam was in the second leg of the 2014 AFF Cup semi-finals with a 4-2 victory.
Since then, Malaysia has gone through a streak of 10 matches without winning against Vietnam, including 9 defeats and 1 draw. In the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, Malaysia was recorded to have won against Vietnam 4-0 on June 10, 2025. However, the Asian Football Confederation later ruled Malaysia to lose 0-3 related to the case of using unqualified naturalized players. In the second leg on March 31, Malaysia continued to lose to Vietnam 1-3 at Thien Truong Stadium.
Coach Tan Cheng Hoe himself also has a poor record when facing Vietnam, with 5 defeats and 1 draw in 6 encounters.
It is true that before I did not have good results when facing Vietnam, especially during the period of coach Park Hang-seo. This time, they are a strong team, with many good players, grasping tactics well, coordinating and attacking very strongly. We will have to be vigilant against Vietnamese players, like Quang Hai for example," Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe assessed.
The first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-final between Malaysia and Vietnam takes place at 8:00 PM on August 16th at Kuala Lumpur Stadium.
