The Malaysian team won the right to enter the semi-finals of ASEAN Cup 2026 after defeating the Philippines team 1-0 in the last match of Group B on the evening of 8. The victory helped the Malaysian team have 9 points after 4 matches, ranked second in the group and will face the Vietnamese team in the semi-finals.
The only goal of the match was scored in the 16th minute. Wan Kuzain Wan Ahmad Kamal made a favorable pass for Pavithran Gunalan to jump high and head, putting Malaysia ahead. After that, coach Tan Cheng Hoe's team maintained a solid game and preserved the advantage until the end of the match.
This result helps the Malaysian team complete the goal set before the final match. However, immediately after winning a ticket to the next round, the country's media paid great attention to the confrontation with the Vietnamese team.
Some assessments suggest that the Malaysian team will face a much bigger challenge in the semi-finals, because the Vietnamese team is in stable form and possesses a balanced force. Coach Kim Sang-sik's team finished Group A as the top of the group, winning 10 points after 4 matches and maintaining an unbeaten record.
The Malaysian team will face the Vietnamese team in the semi-finals. Having to face the Vietnamese team makes the journey of the Malaysian team more challenging. The Vietnamese team has closed the group stage with the first place in Group A and shown remarkable strength. They also have almost the best, perfect force in all 3 lines," a comment from Malaysian media said.
Home advantage in the first leg semi-final is considered a significant support for the Malaysian team. However, the country's media believes that advantage is not enough for the home team to be subjective against the Vietnamese team.
The Malaysian team will meet the Vietnamese team in the first leg semi-final on August 16 at home. This is a significant advantage for the Malaysian team, but clearly not enough for them to be subjective against the champion Vietnam. In the group stage, the Vietnamese team showed remarkable strength, undefeated and even won against Indonesia 3-0. The Vietnamese team also possesses a powerful attack and is aiming to defend the championship," Malaysian media commented.
Notably, the most recent confrontation between the two teams was also mentioned again. In the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers in March, the Vietnamese team defeated the Malaysian team with a score of 3-1. This result made the rematch at ASEAN Cup 2026 more noteworthy.
The Malaysian team just had the joy of winning a ticket to the next round but immediately had to direct their attention to a much bigger challenge. The Philippines has been resolved, but the Vietnamese team is the real'stumbling block' on the journey to the final of the Malaysian team. They are a very strong team and in the most recent encounter, the Vietnamese team won against Malaysia 3-1. Therefore, the Malaysian team will definitely face many difficulties," another assessment stated.
The Malaysian team will have home advantage in the first leg, while the Vietnamese team enters the semi-finals with an unbeaten record. The rematch between the two teams is predicted to be one of the notable matches of ASEAN Cup 2026.
