History of confrontations between Vietnam and Malaysia: Memorable matches
Ahead of the second leg of the 2026 AFF Cup semi-final, the Vietnamese national team holds a 2-0 lead but needs to be cautious, learning from the painful historical defeat at My Dinh Stadium.
The rematch between Vietnam and Malaysia at 8 PM on August 19th brings the two teams back to My Dinh Stadium, a venue that has witnessed both heartbreaking defeats and glorious moments of triumph for Vietnamese football. Entering the second leg of the 2026 AFF Cup semi-final with a 2-0 victory in the first leg, Coach Kim Sang Sik's team possesses a huge advantage to secure a place in the final.
Looking back at fateful encounters
The head-to-head history between 2014 and 2016 records 13 encounters between the two teams. In those matches, Vietnam dominated with 10 wins, 1 draw, and only 2 losses, scoring a total of 24 goals and conceding 13. Specifically at My Dinh Stadium, the Vietnamese national team won 4 out of 5 matches against Malaysia.
However, Malaysia has eliminated Vietnam twice in the semi-finals of the AFF Cup, in 2010 and 2014. In the 2010 AFF Cup, Vietnam lost 0-2 in the first leg and drew 0-0 in the second leg at My Dinh Stadium. In 2014, despite winning 2-1 in the first leg away from home, Vietnam unexpectedly suffered a crushing 2-4 defeat at My Dinh Stadium in the second leg, being eliminated with an aggregate score of 4-5.
Besides the painful memories, My Dinh Stadium also witnessed a historic moment at the 2018 AFF Cup. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the final at Bukit Jalil, Anh Duc's single goal at My Dinh Stadium in the second leg secured a 3-2 aggregate victory for Vietnam, claiming their second Southeast Asian title.
Tactical advantage and troop situation
The Vietnamese national team currently boasts a five-match unbeaten streak (four wins, one draw), scoring 15 goals and conceding only one. Young striker Nguyen Dinh Bac is leading the AFF Cup 2026 top scorer list with five goals, alongside the impressive performances of Nguyen Xuan Son, Quang Hai, and Hoang Duc. With a two-goal lead and a clean sheet in the first leg, coach Kim Sang Sik has many options to control the pace of the game.
Conversely, Malaysia needed to win by at least two goals to keep their hopes alive. This task became incredibly difficult as the visiting team suffered serious personnel losses with the absence of Endrick dos Santos, Jimmy Raymond, Aliff Haiqal, Fazrul Amir, and Wan Kuzain due to injuries and personal reasons.
Match information and expected lineups
- Vietnam:Patrik Lê Giang; Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh, Nguyễn Thành Chung, Phạm Xuân Mạnh; Trương Tiến Anh, Lê Phạm Thành Long, Nguyễn Hoàng Đức, Nguyễn Văn Vĩ; Đỗ Hoàng Hên, Nguyễn Đình Bắc, Nguyễn Xuân Son.
- Malaysia:Azri Ghani; Ahmad, Aysar Hadi, Shamsui, Faris Danish; Sergio Aguero, Ahmad, Mohamadou Sumareh; Dairy Sham, Pavithran Gunalan, Paulo Josué.
If they maintain maximum focus and avoid making the same mistakes as in 2014, the Vietnamese national team is fully capable of defending their lead and advancing straight to the final of the 2026 AFF Cup.
