In the two semi-final matches of ASEAN Cup 2026 against Malaysia, Le Giang Patrik played an important role in the goal of the Vietnamese team. The goalkeeper born in 1992 played stably, contributing to helping his team keep a clean sheet and win with a total score of 4-0.
The most notable highlight came in the first leg semi-final match at the Malaysian stadium. In the 35th minute, after Paulo Josue penetrated the penalty area, Le Giang Patrik actively rushed out to block it. The ball bounced to Dairy Sham's position and the Malaysian player immediately launched a powerful shot.
In the position of just falling, Le Giang Patrik still reacted in time, jumped up and reached out to block the shot. The ball touched the fingertip of the Vietnamese team's goalkeeper and went over the bar.
This is considered an impressive double save because Le Giang Patrik had to handle two consecutive finishing situations in a very short period of time. The ball was then included by AFF in the group of 4 most outstanding saves of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-finals.
Besides this situation, the Vietnamese national team goalkeeper also maintained stable form in both matches against Malaysia. Le Giang Patrik's predictive and reflexive ability contributed to helping the Vietnamese national team's defense stand firm against pressure from the opponent.
In the first leg of the semi-final, this goalkeeper once faced a red card situation. However, after the referee checked the VAR, the decision was changed and Le Giang Patrik continued to play.
According to AFF, in addition to Le Giang Patrik's double save, the group of 4 outstanding situations in the semi-finals also included Azri Ghani's save from Malaysia against Dinh Bac's long-range shot. Singapore goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud was also recognized for using his foot to save in the penalty area in the match against Thailand. The remaining name is Kampon Phatimakkakul of Thailand with a high jump punch to save the ball.
Being in the group of outstanding saves helps Le Giang Patrik continue to make his mark on the journey of the Vietnamese team at ASEAN Cup 2026. Coach Kim Sang-sik's team has now qualified for the final after overcoming Malaysia.
In the final, Le Giang Patrik will face a bigger challenge when the Vietnamese team faces Thailand. The opponent possesses players who have the ability to create breakthroughs and exploit the space behind the defense well.
The first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 final takes place at 8:00 PM on August 22nd at Rajamangala Stadium (Bangkok). After that, the two teams will play the second leg at My Dinh Stadium (Hanoi) at 8:00 PM on August 26th.
