Vietnam hold a commanding 2-0 aggregate lead following their first-leg victory in Kuala Lumpur on August 16, thanks to a 45th-minute diving header from forward Nguyen Xuan Son and an 86th-minute own goal by Malaysia's Faris Danish under pressure from Nguyen Quang Hai. A victory over two legs will  move Vietnam within reach of defending their Southeast Asian title.

Despite the two-goal cushion, Kim expressed caution ahead of the August 19 kickoff at 8:00 p.m. He noted that the squad faced tactical challenges during the first leg and fell short of executing their original game plan, prompting further analysis ahead of the return fixture.

Malaysia manager Tan acknowledged the steep challenge of playing in Hanoi before a passionate home crowd. He urged his players to enjoy the experience, play to their full potential, and aim for an early goal to regain confidence, emphasizing that his squad remains fully prepared for the test at My Dinh.

Both teams arrived in Hanoi from Kuala Lumpur on August 17 and are scheduled to conduct their final training sessions at My Dinh Stadium on the evening of August 18.

Vietnam claim convincing 2-0 win over Malaysia in ASEAN Cup semifinal first leg

VOV.VN - Vietnam secured a convincing 2-0 win over Malaysia in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semifinal in Kuala Lumpur on August 16, taking a strong advantage into the return leg.