In the pre-match press conference, coach Kim Sang-sik admitted that the match with Malaysia will be one of the most difficult challenges for the Vietnamese team in Group F - the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.
He said: “Although this is only the first leg, in order to reach the goal of participating in the final of the 2027 Asian Cup, we determined that this is an important and perhaps the most difficult match. The Vietnamese team will use all their abilities and promote collective strength to aim for victory.”
Mr. Kim also assessed that the Malaysian team has changed a lot with the appearance of 7 new naturalized players and 18 names that the Vietnamese coaching staff has never known. “This makes the process of evaluating and analyzing tactics more difficult, but the whole team has prepared carefully and is ready to face all challenges,” said the Korean coach.
Coach Kim Sang-sik said that the opponent's addition of many quality naturalized players has brought great challenges to Vietnam. However, he also expressed optimism: "Football is a sport with many surprises. The final result will depend on the preparation and efforts of each team. I hope the players will maintain a positive spirit and maximize their abilities in the upcoming match."
Center back Duy Manh also said: “According to the information I know, the opposing team has 17-18 naturalized players as well as players playing abroad. They are all very high quality players. Surely tomorrow's match will not be an easy match for us. But we also have our own determination and goals. We will prepare the best to be able to get the best result in this match.”
Visiting Bukit Jalil will be another challenge for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team. Right now, the players have felt the heat from the 80,000-seat stadium. “I understand the heat and enthusiasm of the Malaysian audience. My teammates and I need to try to overcome the pressure from the home crowd, try to stay calm to play well and fulfill the responsibilities assigned by the coaching staff,” Duy Manh said.
Midfielder Chau Ngoc Quang said: "There will definitely be pressure from the stands, but if we can stay focused, the cheers from the audience will not affect the team's fighting spirit much." Hai Long was optimistic: "As a professional player, every stadium is the same. The most important thing is to focus as much as possible and contribute to the overall playing style, helping the team win."
The luggage that the Vietnamese team brought to Malaysia was careful tactical preparation. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team also have a certain confidence when looking at the history of confrontation between the two teams. The Vietnamese team has a clear advantage over Malaysia. In the last 5 meetings, the red team has won all. Notably, in the 2020 and 2022 AFF Cups, the Vietnamese team defeated Malaysia in the group stage with the same score of 3-0.
In the second qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup, the Vietnamese team also defeated Malaysia in both matches, with a 1-0 victory at My Dinh Stadium and a 2-1 victory at the neutral Al Maktoum Stadium (UAE). The last time they played at Bukit Jalil was in the first leg of the 2018 AFF Cup final, the Vietnamese team had a 2-2 draw before winning 1-0 in the second leg at My Dinh Stadium, thereby winning the Southeast Asian championship.
The match between Malaysia and Vietnam will take place at 9:00 p.m. on June 10 (local time, 8:00 p.m. Vietnam time) at Bukit Jalil Stadium.
Vietnam in the same group with Thailand at the 2025 AFF Women's Cup
On June 9, the draw ceremony for the 2025 Southeast Asian Women's Football Championship (AFF Cup) took place in Hanoi . This year's tournament will be hosted by Vietnam at two locations: Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho) and Lach Tray Stadium (Hai Phong).
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan - President of the Vietnam Football Federation said: "The fact that VFF was assigned by the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) to host the Southeast Asian Championship is an honor and an affirmation of VFF in accompanying women's football in the region and promoting development. We are committed to closely coordinating with AFF and related units to successfully organize the tournament, thereby spreading the beautiful image of Vietnamese women's football in particular and Southeast Asian women's football in general to international friends. Through this, we also introduce the country and people of Vietnam as open, friendly and honest".
Accordingly, the draw of luck put the Vietnamese women's team in Group A - AFF Cup 2025 with opponents Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia. Basically, this is not a very difficult group for coach Mai Duc Chung and his team. Previously, at the AFF Cup 2019 and SEA Games 2019, the Thai team lost twice to the Vietnamese team. In addition, Indonesia and Cambodia are not strong teams. Meanwhile, Group B has the presence of the Philippines, Myanmar, Australia and Timor Leste competing for a ticket to the semi-finals. This is considered the "death group" at the AFF Cup 2025.
The 2025 AFF Women's Cup will take place from August 6-19 at Lach Tray and Viet Tri stadiums.
HH
Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/doi-tuyen-viet-nam--malaysia-thu-thach-o-bukit-jalil-i771080/
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