Kuala Lumpur, 16 August 2026 – Vietnam took a major step toward the ASEAN Cup 2026 final after securing an impressive 2-0 away victory over Malaysia in the first leg of their semifinal on August 16.
Goals from Nguyen Xuan Son and an own goal by Faris Danish gave Kim Sang-sik’s side a commanding advantage ahead of the decisive second leg at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on August 19.
The opening half was a difficult one for both teams, with challenging pitch conditions having a significant impact on the quality of football. A slippery surface, wet ball and thick grass disrupted the flow of the game, with Vietnam in particular struggling to produce their usual passing combinations.
Both sides adopted an aggressive pressing approach, resulting in a physical contest frequently interrupted by fouls. Aysar Hadi was booked for Malaysia, while Nguyen Dinh Bac also received a yellow card for Vietnam.
Despite entering the semifinal as underdogs, Malaysia showed little interest in simply sitting deep and defending. The hosts pushed forward whenever opportunities emerged and created several dangerous situations.
Their best chance of the first half arrived in the 35th minute when Vietnam goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang produced an excellent save to deny a close-range effort, preventing Malaysia from taking the lead.
Vietnam gradually adjusted to the conditions as halftime approached. Kim’s players began keeping possession more effectively, connecting passes with greater confidence and creating more threatening attacking moves.
Their improvement was rewarded deep into first-half stoppage time.
In the 45+5th minute, Vietnam launched a direct attack with a long ball forward. Truong Tien Anh broke into space down the right before delivering a precise cross into the penalty area, where Nguyen Xuan Son arrived at the perfect moment to power a header into the Malaysian net.
The crucial breakthrough sent Vietnam into halftime with a valuable 1-0 advantage.
Patrik Le Giang Survives Dramatic Red-Card Scare
Vietnam changed their approach after the interval, adopting a more disciplined defensive structure while looking to exploit Malaysia on the counterattack.
The hosts responded by increasing the pressure early in the second half, but Vietnam’s defense remained composed, with Patrik Le Giang continuing to play an important role between the posts.
The biggest moment of controversy arrived in the 60th minute.
Le Giang was initially shown a straight red card following a collision with Sumareh outside the penalty area, seemingly leaving Vietnam facing the prospect of playing the final half-hour with ten men.
However, following a VAR review, the referee overturned the dismissal after determining that the Malaysian attacker had committed an infringement before the collision. The red card was subsequently cancelled, allowing Le Giang to remain on the pitch.
The decision proved hugely important as Vietnam continued to protect their narrow advantage.
Late Own Goal Gives Vietnam Commanding Advantage
During the closing stages, Kim Sang-sik made several substitutions as Vietnam attempted to maintain their defensive organization while remaining dangerous on the break.
Those adjustments eventually paid off.
In the 86th minute, captain Nguyen Quang Hai delivered a dangerous through ball that put the Malaysian defense under immediate pressure. In his attempt to deal with the situation, defender Faris Danish inadvertently sent the ball into his own net.
The own goal doubled Vietnam’s advantage to 2-0 and left Malaysia facing a huge challenge ahead of the return leg.
The hosts continued pushing forward during stoppage time and almost pulled one back in the 90+2nd minute. Once again, however, Patrik Le Giang came to Vietnam’s rescue with an excellent save from a tight angle.
The final whistle confirmed a hugely valuable 2-0 victory for Vietnam on Malaysian soil.
Kim Sang-sik’s men will now return to Hanoi holding a significant two-goal advantage and with one foot in the ASEAN Cup 2026 final.
The semifinal will be decided in the second leg at My Dinh National Stadium on August 19, where Vietnam will look to finish the job in front of their home supporters and secure another appearance in the regional championship final.
VSN/RPT
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