Vietnam has won all five of its ASEAN Cup opening matches since 2016, scoring 17 goals and conceding two. This streak is likely to continue as they face Timor Leste, ranked 201st and 102 places below Vietnam in the FIFA rankings. Notably, this marks the first encounter between the two teams.

Vietnam enters the tournament on an 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions, including 16 wins and two draws. The team's last defeat was a 1-2 loss to Thailand in a friendly match on 10/9/2024. This impressive run was largely built against opponents from Southeast Asia and lower-ranked regions like South Asia. However, it also highlights Vietnam's stability under coach Kim Sang-sik.

The Vietnam national team during a training session at Chonburi Stadium, Thailand on 23/7/2024. Photo: Duc Dong

Vietnam has re-entered the top 100 in the FIFA rankings, having previously dropped near the 120th position. Since the loss to Thailand in 2024, coach Kim's squad has defeated their arch-rivals in both legs of the ASEAN Cup final for the first time. He has helped Vietnam dominate the region, securing victories against eight national teams, with only Timor Leste and Brunei remaining. At the U23 level, Vietnam holds a perfect winning record.

As the defending champion, Vietnam has undertaken the most thorough preparation for the ASEAN Cup 2026. The squad gathered for about five weeks, including two weeks of training in South Korea with three practice matches against opponents ranging from K-League 1 to second-tier clubs. Their final warm-up was a comfortable 4-0 victory in a friendly against Myanmar.

Despite retaining only 11 players from the ASEAN Cup 2024 squad, Vietnam's team is considered stronger. While the defense and midfield miss some prominent names like Nguyen Filip and Do Duy Manh, capable replacements are available. The attack still features Nguyen Xuan Son, with the addition of two naturalized Brazilian-born players: Do Hoang Hen and Nguyen Tai Loc. Young strikers performing well in the second half of the V-League, such as Nguyen Dinh Bac, Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong, and Nguyen Ngoc My, are also eager to prove themselves.

Before 2026, Timor Leste had participated in the Southeast Asian championship four times, but were eliminated in the group stage each time (2004, 2018, 2020, and 2024). For this tournament, they qualified by defeating Brunei 6-1 over two legs in the play-off round. Lacking a suitable stadium, Timor Leste must use Chonburi Stadium in Thailand as their home ground.

By Vy Anh