Hanoi, 19 August 2026 – Malaysia head coach Tan Cheng Hoe admitted his disappointment after his side were eliminated by Vietnam in the ASEAN Cup 2026 semifinals, but insisted the experience would prove valuable for his young squad.
Tan entered the post-match press conference looking visibly frustrated after Malaysia suffered another 2-0 defeat to Vietnam at My Dinh National Stadium. The result completed a 4-0 aggregate loss, ending the Harimau Malaya’s campaign while sending Kim Sang-sik’s side into the final against Thailand.
Despite losing both semifinal legs, the 58-year-old coach refused to criticize his players and instead praised their commitment against one of the strongest teams in the tournament.
“Despite losing both matches, I am still proud of my players. The way they played against Vietnam showed their effort and total commitment. Vietnam came into the tournament with a strong squad and were well prepared. They are aiming to defend the title, and playing against them will help our players mature.”
Vietnam will now renew their rivalry with Thailand in the final, and Tan expects an entertaining contest between two teams with different qualities.
“I hope Vietnam and Thailand will produce a great spectacle in the final. Both teams have their own strengths and advantages.”
Malaysia’s defeat also extended their difficult run against Vietnam, with the Harimau Malaya struggling to get the better of their regional rivals for more than a decade. Tan, however, believes his players should focus on what lies ahead rather than allow past results to become a psychological burden.
“What has happened, including the defeats against Vietnam, is already in the past. This current generation of Malaysian players is ready to look toward a brighter future.”
Vietnam made several changes to their lineup for the second leg, with Kim Sang-sik managing his squad while keeping one eye on the upcoming final. Tan revealed that the rotation came as no surprise to the Malaysian coaching staff.
“I knew beforehand. I was certain that Kim Sang-sik would make changes to his lineup with the final in mind. I wasn’t surprised by that.”
Although Malaysia’s ASEAN Cup journey has come to an end, Tan remains encouraged by the development of the younger members of his squad. At the same time, he acknowledged that greater depth and additional quality will be required if Malaysia are to close the gap on teams such as Vietnam.
“I am still proud of our young players at this tournament, but if we can add more quality players, I believe Malaysia will become more competitive and be capable of producing more balanced matches against Vietnam and the other teams in this competition.”
For Malaysia, the semifinal defeat represents another reminder of the work still required to return to the top of Southeast Asian football. For Vietnam, meanwhile, the convincing victory keeps their title defense alive and sets up another major showdown with Thailand for the ASEAN Cup 2026 crown.
VSN/RPT
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