The Malaysian team qualified for the semi-finals of ASEAN Cup 2026 after a 1-0 victory over the Philippines team in the last match of Group B on the evening of August 8. This result helps the Malaysian team have 9 points after 4 matches, ranked second in the group and meet the Vietnamese team in the round for the 4 strongest teams.
After the match, coach Tan Cheng Hoe expressed his satisfaction with the performance of his players, especially in the context that the Malaysian team did not receive much expectation before the tournament started.
I feel very relieved and proud of the fighting spirit of my students. Before the tournament started, we did not receive too much expectation due to the preparation process encountering many difficulties in terms of force. However, the whole team persistently overcame each match. Being in the semi-finals is a worthy reward for the tireless efforts of the whole team," Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe shared.
Malaysia's opponent in the semi-finals is Vietnam - the team at the top of Group A with an unbeaten record. Vietnam won 10 points after 4 matches, scored 13 goals and only conceded 1 goal.
Coach Tan Cheng Hoe admitted that the Malaysian team is in a lower position, and highly appreciated the quality of the squad and the stability of the Vietnamese team.
The Vietnamese team is clearly at the'top' compared to Malaysia at the present time. They possess a quality squad, have a deep squad and an extremely cohesive playing style under the guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik. Looking at the way they played in the group stage, it can be seen that they are the top candidates for the championship. Meanwhile, Malaysia still has many problems to overcome if they want to go further," Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe said.
In fact, Vietnam and Malaysia both had positive performances in the group stage. Vietnam is unbeaten with 3 wins and 1 draw, while Malaysia won 3 out of 4 matches. However, scoring efficiency and defensive ability are leaning towards Vietnam.
The Malaysian team still has a basis to be confident before the confrontation. This team once reversed to defeat the Myanmar team 2-1 in the opening match and defeated the Philippines team 1-0 in the final round to win a ticket to the semi-finals.
Although admitting that the Malaysian team is underdog, coach Tan Cheng Hoe does not think that his team will enter the semi-finals with a resigned attitude.
In football, anything can happen. When we are underestimated, we have a certain amount of psychological comfort. Our task in the next few days is to help the players recover their fitness to the best, carefully analyze the playing style of the Vietnamese team and prepare a reasonable strategy. The Malaysian team will try their best to contribute to the fans in two exciting semi-final matches," coach Tan Cheng Hoe emphasized.
This is also a notable rematch after the Vietnamese team defeated the Malaysian team 3-1 in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers in March. This result brought a certain psychological advantage to the Vietnamese team, but the Malaysian team made changes in personnel and coaching staff before the ASEAN Cup 2026.
According to the schedule, the first leg semi-final between Malaysia and the Vietnamese team will take place on August 16 at Malaysia's home ground, before the two teams rematch in the second leg in Hanoi on August 19.
