Korean media supports Vietnam after Malaysia's conclusion of fraud.
FIFA concludes that seven Malaysian naturalized players used fake documents in their 4-0 victory over Vietnam in June 2025. Korean media supports Vietnam, believing the 0-3 defeat will open the door to participation in the 2027 Asian Cup.
FIFA has concluded that seven of Malaysia's naturalized players used forged documents in their 4-0 victory over Vietnam in June 2025. South Korean media, including Chosun and Xports News, view Vietnam as the victim and believe that if Malaysia is handed a 0-3 defeat, the door to the 2027 Asian Cup finals will open wide for Coach Kim Sang Sik's team. According to Xports News, Vietnam would then only need one more point in the final two matches to secure a spot.
FIFA concludes and wave of support from South Korea.
According to Chosun, the Vietnamese team was "a victim of injustice" and deserved to be declared the winner after the shocking incident. The newspaper emphasized: "The 0-4 defeat against Malaysia was a huge shock that led to much criticism of coach Kim Sang Sik. But the FIFA investigation has proven that the Vietnamese team was not weak at all, but merely a victim of cheating."
Chosun believes that FIFA's ruling restores fairness and helps the Vietnamese national team regain confidence. From a similar perspective, Xports News predicts that the continental football governing body will impose a harsh penalty, and that a 0-3 defeat for Malaysia would bring Vietnam closer to securing a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup.
Professional impact: from the 0-4 shock to a chance at the 2027 Asian Cup.
The 0-4 defeat had put coach Kim Sang Sik under immense pressure. With the new conclusion, the context has changed: if the score is declared 0-3 according to the rules, Xports News calculates that Vietnam only needs one more point in the remaining two matches to achieve its goal of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
| Key point | Detail |
|---|---|
| FIFA's conclusion | 7 Malaysian naturalized players used fake documents. |
| Related match | Malaysia beat Vietnam 4-0 in June 2025. |
| Potential for punishment | Malaysia was handed a 0-3 defeat (according to Xports News). |
| Consequences of ticket competition | Vietnam only needs 1 point from the last 2 matches to secure qualification (according to Xports News). |
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but according to sources, the chances of a reversal are almost zero. While awaiting the final decision, analyses from Korean newspapers focus on restoring fair recognition to the Vietnamese national team's efforts under coach Kim Sang Sik.
Vietnam national team schedule and squad
The Vietnamese national team is maintaining its focus for the match against Laos in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. The entire team will gather on November 10th in Viet Tri and travel to Laos on November 15th.
- New players added: center-back Khổng Minh Gia Bảo, striker Nguyễn Trần Việt Cường.
- Returning from injury: striker Nguyen Xuan Son, after nearly a year of recovery.
The psychological context of coach Kim Sang Sik
The criticism following the 0-4 defeat weighed heavily on coach Kim Sang Sik. As Chosun noted, FIFA's investigation conclusion "has restored fairness" and "helped the Vietnamese team regain confidence." The remaining task is to maintain focus for the rest of the qualifiers, awaiting the official ruling from the governing bodies.
