* Vietnam - Malaysia: 7 PM tuesday 31/3, live on VnExpress.

Malaysia once defeated Vietnam 4-0 in the second leg of Group F final qualifiers at Bukit Jalil Stadium on 10/6/2025. However, the Asian Football Confederation later ruled a 0-3 loss against them for using seven foreign-born naturalized players with forged documents.

"Many people say that Malaysia's victory at Bukit Jalil was thanks to those seven players, who are currently banned from playing. Now is the time to respond to that with a performance on the field," Azlan Johar told Malaysian newspaper Arena Metro. "Malaysia is not coming to Vietnam to defend but to win. That will humiliate them and prove they are truly stronger than their opponents."

The Vietnam national team (in red) lost 0-4 to Malaysia in the second leg of Group F final qualifiers for Asian Cup 2027, at Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia on 10/6/2025. By 17/3/2026, the Asian Football Confederation ruled Malaysia lost 0-3 for using players who violated eligibility rules. Photo: Hai Tu

Azlan Johar, born in 1963, played for the Malaysian national team from 1983 to 1987. After retiring, he became a football commentator. In the scandal involving the seven naturalized players, Johar frequently criticized the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) but defended the image of the national team and its members.

Beyond the match against Vietnam, Malaysia also faced a 0-3 loss against Nepal, despite winning 2-0 in their opening match. These overturned results caused Malaysia to lose their top spot and a berth in the Asian Cup 2027 finals to Vietnam.

The rematch with Vietnam on 31/3 is theoretically just a formality. However, Azlan Johar hopes that coach Peter Cklamovski's team will not only play with full effort but also lay the groundwork to silence criticism and embark on a new journey.

"It will not be an ordinary victory, but one that carries honor and could be the starting point for a revival," Johar said. "A win could also restore player confidence and fan trust."

Despite Malaysia's aspirations, Vietnam currently holds the Southeast Asian record with a 12-match winning streak. Their most recent defeat was against Thailand, with a score of 1-2, in a friendly match in 9/2024. Following that loss, coach Kim Sang-sik's team has been unbeaten in 16 matches, securing 14 victories.

Meanwhile, Malaysia has not beaten Vietnam since the second leg of the 2014 AFF Cup semifinals (now ASEAN Cup), with a score of 4-2. Over the past 20 years, Malaysia has only won two, lost 13, and drawn two against Vietnam.

Arena Metro described Malaysia's 4-0 victory a year ago as a "ray of hope" after a decade of inferiority to Vietnam, only for it to be overturned. "Old wounds that had not healed became even more painful when a convincing victory against Vietnam turned into a terrible nightmare," an article in Arena Metro stated. "The glory of the 2014 victory on Vietnam's home ground serves as a morale booster for the players."

Football expert Zulakbal Abd Karim hopes Cklamovski's squad will not be discouraged. "Hope for Asian Cup 2027 qualification is gone. The only thing to do now is to protect the national team's honor," the expert stated.

Compared to the match 9 months ago, Vietnam's squad now includes additional stars: Doan Van Hau, Tran Dinh Trong, and notably, two naturalized Brazilian-born players, Nguyen Xuan Son and Do Hoang Hen. "The naturalized players will test Malaysia's mettle," headlined the New Straits Times.