*Vietnam – Nepal: 19h30, Thursday, 9/10, live on VnExpress.

Vietnam is set to play two consecutive matches against Nepal, with the first leg on 9/10 at Go Dau stadium and the second leg on 14/10 at Thong Nhat stadium.

In the second match of the qualifiers, held on 10/6 at Bukit Jalil stadium, Vietnam lost 0-4 to host Malaysia, consequently losing the top spot in Group F. This presented a significant disadvantage, as only the group leader secures a direct ticket to the finals in early 2027. However, the situation has become fluid following revelations that Malaysia used fake documents for 7 naturalized players who participated in the match against Vietnam. FIFA has since banned Malaysia from competition for one year.

Coach Kim Sang-sik at the press conference on the afternoon of 8/10, before the Vietnam – Nepal match at Go Dau stadium, formerly in Binh Duong, now TP HCM. Photo: Duc Dong

The Malaysian football team is expected to face further severe penalties from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the tournament organizer. According to regulations, the team could face a 0-3 forfeiture for the match or even be disqualified from the competition entirely.

Despite these developments, Coach Kim expressed little concern for the issue during today's press conference. "I believe these matters should be handled by FIFA. Whatever the final outcome, I will respect FIFA's decision. Our task is to focus on winning against Nepal. That is the main priority, not Malaysia's issues," he stated.

After two rounds, Nepal is at the bottom of the group, having lost 0-2 to Malaysia and 1-2 to Laos. Consequently, they are considered the underdog against Vietnam. Coach Kim did not shy away from this assessment, though he mentioned having studied Nepal through video footage and identified a dangerous striker his players should be wary of.

For this training camp, Coach Kim called up a mix of veterans and young players. His current aspiration is to foster cohesion between these two generations of players to build a strong foundation for the team's success. "However, I want to keep the decision on whether young players will start a secret; I cannot reveal it now," he added.

The South Korean coach also expressed regret over Nguyen Quang Hai's absence due to injury but trusts that teammates like Nguyen Hoang Duc and Le Pham Thanh Long will perform well in the Hanoi midfielder's position.

Attending the press conference alongside the coach, team captain and central defender Do Duy Manh emphasized the importance of the matches against Nepal and urged the entire squad to maintain focus. "No match is easy, but I will certainly motivate the whole team to achieve victory together," he said.