Malaysia fears Tien Linh before Asian Cup qualifiers
Malaysian media is afraid of Tien Linh: 26 goals in 64 matches for Vietnam, scored 2 goals in Malaysia; scored 3 goals in 11 matches for CA HCMC in the 2025 season.
Just a moment. That was the repeated warning about Nguyen Tien Linh that the Malaysian press gave before they met Vietnam in the Asian Cup qualifiers. With 26 goals in 64 appearances for the national team, the striker born in 1997 is considered a spearhead who can decide the match from just a momentary situation.
Bikem Studio and the message of caution
Sports site Bikem Studio frankly wrote: “When mentioning Nguyen Tien Linh, most Malaysian fans have memories of this player. He is a sharp striker who knows how to appear at the right time to make other teams regret.”
These comments come with a warning about Tien Linh’s most important weapon: decisiveness. “He may not score every game, but in just one moment, Tien Linh is enough to decide the fate of the whole match,” one quoted comment emphasized.
Performance at Ho Chi Minh City Police and connection with Endrick
At the club level, Tien Linh is playing for Ho Chi Minh City Police after nearly 10 years with Becamex Binh Duong. Since the beginning of the 2025 season, he has played 11 matches and scored 3 goals for the city team.
The notable point is that he plays alongside Endrick, a Malaysian player. Bikem Studio expects: “Hopefully Endrick and Tien Linh can maintain stable performance at the Ho Chi Minh City Police. However, it is clear that Malaysia must be extremely cautious when facing Vietnam, because Tien Linh always knows how to make a difference in big matches.”
Imprint in the Vietnamese national team jersey
In the national team, Tien Linh has played 64 matches and scored 26 goals, a number that puts him among the most effective strikers in Southeast Asia in the past 5 years. He scored 2 goals against Malaysia at the AFF Cup 2022, helping Vietnam reach the final, and scored many times in key matches in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in Asia.
Selected data
| Team/league | Battle | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| HCMC Police Department season 2025 | 11 | 3 |
| Vietnam team | 64 | 26 |
Perspective from Malaysia and the problem for coach Cklamovski
With Malaysia and Vietnam in the same group in the 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers, many Malaysians believe that containing Tien Linh is a priority. A Malaysian football expert commented: “Vietnam currently has a ripe generation of players, and Tien Linh is a very dangerous name in that system. If we don’t contain him, Malaysia’s defense will fall into an alarming state.”
For coach Cklamovski, the problem is not only to block an individual, but also to cut off the ball routes towards the 16m50 area where Tien Linh often appears at the right time. That is the type of striker who "touches few but hits the right spot", the one that makes every mistake in defense have to pay.
Malaysian Forces Background
The off-field developments were also mentioned. According to related information, FIFA upheld the 12-month suspension and fine, causing the 7 naturalized Malaysian players to almost lose the chance to return to the national team, despite an appeal to CAS.
Crux
The comments from Bikem Studio all converge on one point: with his proven mentality and instinct for scoring goals, Tien Linh is enough to make a difference in top matches. Malaysia understands that better than anyone, after the memories of the AFF Cup 2022. Entering the Asian Cup qualifiers, the issue is not whether he shoots a lot or not, but whether the opposing defense can prevent the only moment that can decide the match.
