On the afternoon of 18/8, the national team trained at My Dinh Stadium, finalizing preparations for the semi-final second leg against Malaysia.

Thanks to a two-nil victory in the first leg in Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam holds a significant advantage. The team can even reach the final with a one-goal defeat tomorrow.

However, the team is facing a significant loss as defender Nguyen Van Vi cannot train normally. On the way back to Hanoi after defeating Malaysia, Van Vi shared with VnExpress that he had toe pain and could not wear shoes.

The 28-year-old defender trained separately with doctor Tran Huy Tho.

Van Vi has been one of Vietnam's top left-backs in recent years. His speed and accurate crossing ability have secured him a starting spot for both the national team and Nam Dinh FC.

In the ASEAN Cup 2026, the player from Ninh Binh has played in all previous matches. In the first leg of the semi-final, he was substituted in the 90th minute.

If Van Vi is unable to play, coach Kim Sang-sik may give opportunities to Doan Van Hau (number 5) or Nguyen Nhat Minh.

Van Hau was once the national team's number one left-back and a member of the 2018 AFF Cup (now ASEAN Cup) winning squad. However, he missed many important tournaments due to injury and only returned to the national team in March.

Midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai (number 19) has not been in his best form this year, but always receives respect from his teammates.

According to striker Nguyen Dinh Bac (right), his senior teammate does not deserve criticism from fans. "Quang Hai is still a great player, with a big influence on the national team. Hopefully, in upcoming matches, we will see more goals from Quang Hai", Dinh Bac said.

In the first leg with Malaysia, after coming on as a substitute, Quang Hai delivered a pass towards Dinh Bac, causing defender Faris Danish to awkwardly score an own goal, helping Vietnam secure a two-nil lead.

Holding a two-nil advantage, Vietnamese players appeared relaxed during training. However, midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc affirmed that the team is preparing very seriously, committed to playing their best to offer a beautiful match to the fans.

Coach Kim Sang-sik is on the verge of reaching the ASEAN Cup final for the second consecutive time – an unprecedented achievement for any coach of the Vietnamese national team.

Under coach Kim, the team has also gone 23 consecutive matches without defeat since October 2024, including 20 wins and three draws. This is the longest unbeaten streak in the history of the Vietnamese national team, surpassing the previous record of 18 matches.

Duc Dong