Vietnam - Malaysia: 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 31/3, on VnExpress.

"Whether this match is a friendly or a formality, we are determined to win for national pride and to dedicate the victory to our fans," Van Hau said at a pre-match press conference in Ninh Binh. "We hope a large crowd will attend the stadium, creating a wonderful atmosphere. That will motivate us to seek revenge against Malaysia."

Vietnam has already secured a spot in the Asian Cup 2027 finals, holding a 5-point lead over Malaysia. Theoretically, this is merely a formality match. This situation is a complete contrast to about 9 months ago. Then, in the first leg at Bukit Jalil stadium, hosts Malaysia dominated and defeated Vietnam 4-0. However, Malaysia was later found to have used 7 naturalized players with falsified documents, leading to a 0-3 forfeiture in matches they had won against Vietnam and Nepal.

Defender Doan Van Hau and coach Kim Sang-sik at the press conference on the afternoon of 30/3 at Thien Truong stadium, Ninh Binh. *Photo: Hieu Luong*

The aforementioned incident, which lasted half a year, rocked the football world and brought about many changes. Vietnam's hopes seemed to revive unexpectedly, securing a direct qualification spot, while Malaysia was relegated to second place and eliminated. Nevertheless, according to experts, tomorrow's match at Thien Truong stadium remains noteworthy. It is an opportunity for Vietnam to demonstrate its strength and worthiness of the qualification ticket, while Malaysia also seeks a win to restore its reputation after the naturalization document forgery scandal.

This is also an opportunity for Doan Van Hau to rediscover his form. The 26-year-old defender was a key player for Vietnam's U23 team, which finished as runner-up in the AFC U23 Championship 2018, won the AFF Cup 2018, and reached the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup 2019. With a height of 1,86 m, a tenacious playing spirit, and resilience, Van Hau was once a top defender for Vietnam. However, his career has been significantly impacted by injuries.

After 1,010 days, Van Hau returned to play for the national team in a 3-0 friendly win against Bangladesh on 27/3 at Hang Day stadium. He expressed his excitement and happiness at being given the opportunity by coach Kim Sang-sik, stating that he is gradually regaining his best physical condition and feel for the game. "In the first leg, I had to watch on television and regretted the team's heavy loss. Therefore, for this return leg, I hope the coach gives me the chance to play against Malaysia. I will try my best to perform well and complete my task," he said.

Due to his long absence, Van Hau mentioned he lacks extensive experience playing against Malaysian players. However, he believes that with thorough preparation and high determination, Vietnam will have many opportunities. "Every match against Malaysia is a big one. Both teams want to win. Tomorrow's match will be very tight, and the team that makes fewer mistakes will emerge victorious," Van Hau commented.

Duc Dong