Malaysia is betting on 'Ronaldo' Faisal Halim in the match against Vietnam.
Following the scandal involving the banning of seven naturalized players, Malaysia is focusing all its efforts on Faisal Halim – the star who was once the victim of an acid attack – for their clash with Vietnam at Thien Truong Stadium.
The Malaysian national team enters their match against Vietnam at 7:00 PM on March 31st amidst a turbulent situation. After being handed a 0-3 defeat by FIFA and losing their chance to participate in the 2027 Asian Cup due to the scandal involving falsified documents of naturalized players, the "Malaysian Tigers" now rely solely on the unwavering determination of their star domestic player, Faisal Halim.
A symbol of overcoming adversity.
Amidst coach Peter Cklamovski's severely depleted squad, Faisal Halim emerged as a single bright spot. This striker, standing at just 1.58 meters tall, was not only the heart of the team's play but also a symbol of Malaysian football's miraculous recovery after the horrific acid attack in May 2024.
Despite bearing significant scars, the player dubbed "Malaysian Ronaldo" has maintained an impressive goal-scoring record. In the 2025-2026 season, he impressed with 20 goals and 10 assists in 30 matches. Notably, his brace against Hanoi Police FC in the Southeast Asian Champions League in early 2026 is clear evidence that the speed and skillful dribbling of this 28-year-old striker have not diminished.
A big challenge for the Vietnamese defense.
On the Thien Truong training ground, Faisal Halim still displayed his blistering runs, ready to become the most dangerous threat to the home team's defense. Malaysia's loss of seven key naturalized players has forced coach Cklamovski to build his playing style around the versatility of his domestic players, with Halim being the crucial element.
In contrast to their opponents' circumstances, the Vietnamese team is in a very relaxed state of mind. Ranked 103rd in the world, the red-shirted team has already secured a place in the 2027 Asian Cup finals thanks to the sanctions imposed on Malaysia by the AFC. However, the upcoming match still holds significant importance in terms of pride and FIFA ranking.
To stop Malaysia, the top priority for Vietnam's defense is to neutralize Faisal Halim's operating space. Berita Harian newspaper commented that the form of domestic players like Halim is the only key for Malaysia to achieve a positive result against the strongest opponent in the region at the moment.
