Vietnam are scheduled to play Malaysia in a Group F match at Bukit Jalil stadium in Kuala Lumpur at 20:00 on June 10 (local time).

Kim told media workers on June 9 that the match would be crucial and challenging for his team, Vietnam, and that visitors need to capitalise on their strengths and play with the highest level of team spirit in order to earn points against Malaysia.

The coach admitted that the coaching board has not have much information about 18 out of Malaysia’s 30 players who are of foreign origin, posing challenges for Vietnam.

Sources say Malaysia are undergoing significant changes with a strong lineup of naturalised players. Seven completely new faces had joined the team, including Hector Hevel, Gabriel Palmero, and Jon Irazabal of Spanish origin, as well as Imanol Machuca, Rodrigo Holgado, Facundo Garces, and Joao Figueiredo, who are of Brazilian descent.

However, Vietnamese players are staying focused and making the best possible preparations ahead of the match, Kim said, adding Vietnam will be the one to decide their own destiny, no one else.

Meanwhile, with home-field advantage this time, Malaysia are eager to end more than a decade-long losing streak against Vietnam, as their last victory came with a 4 - 2 win at My Dinh in the second leg of the 2014 AFF Cup semifinals.

Malaysia are also aiming for a win to boost their chances of securing the sole qualifying spot from Group F for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup finals.

The presence of naturalized South American players, known for their individual technique, ball control, and sharp playmaking vision, has made Malaysia worthy opponents to Vietnam in the race for a spot at the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

Despite having many naturalised players, Malaysia’s strength is also their weakness. The naturalised players struggle to create cohesion when implementing tactical plans, largely because they have limited experience playing together.

In their recent encounters, Vietnam have held a clear advantage over Malaysia, winning all five matches. Notably, in both the 2020 and 2022 AFF Cup group stages, Vietnam defeated Malaysia 3 - 0 each. During the second round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Vietnam beat Malaysia in both legs: 1 - 0 at My Dinh Stadium (Vietnam) and 2 - 1 at the neutral Al Maktoum Stadium (UAE).

One particularly memorable match at Bukit Jalil was the first leg of the 2018 AFF Cup final, where Vietnam were held to a 2 – 2 draw before securing a 1 - 0 narrow win in the return leg at My Dinh to clinch the Southeast Asian championship.

Since taking charge of the Vietnam national team, coach Kim has consistently demonstrated himself to be a highly adaptable and talented strategist when it comes to player management. Up to now, both experts and Vietnamese football fans remain impressed by him, and it is even more likely that Malaysia would be caught off guard by his tactics.

It’s noteworthy that two weeks ago, Kim led the Southeast Asian Stars team to defeat Manchester United 1 – 0 right at Bukit Jalil.  

This clash holds great significance for both teams, as the winners will gain an advantage in the race for a spot at the 2027 Asian Cup finals. In this final qualifying round, only the group winners will advance.

After the first group match series, both Vietnam and Malaysia have 3 points each. However, Vietnam lead Group F temporarily thanks to a superior goal difference (+5 compared to +2). But the positions could be reversed if Kim’s team fail to secure a favourable result against Malaysia.

The answer will come after 90 minutes of the important match on June 10 evening.

Vietnam depart for Malaysia ahead of crucial 2027 Asian Cup qualifier

VOV.VN - Coach Kim Sang-sik and his players of the Vietnam national team left Hanoi on June 6, heading to Malaysia to prepare for their important match in the third qualification round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Kuala Lumpur on June 10.