Harimau Malaya fall to Vietnam in Asean Cup semis, face tough return leg

Malaysia faced a challenging task to advance to the final after losing 2-0 to Vietnam in the first leg of their 2026 Asean Cup semi-final clash. Nguyen Xuan Son scored a goal in the fifth minute of the first-half stoppage time, while Muhammad Faris Danish Asrul committed an own goal in the 86th minute. The first half of the match was almost evenly contested, with neither team displaying an intense performance during the initial 30 minutes.

Malaysia managed to score first in the 35th minute, but Vietnam's attack intensified towards the end of the first half, with Xuan Son missing an acrobatic effort and Nguyen Dinh Bac's shot going straight to the goalkeeper. Vietnam ultimately broke the deadlock in the fifth minute of the first-half stoppage time, with Xuan Son meeting a cross from Truong Tien Anh with a diving header.

Just before halftime, coach Kim Sang Sik's team nearly doubled their lead, but their efforts were blocked. In the 61st minute, Vietnam's goalkeeper Patrik was sent off for a challenge on naturalized player Mohamadou Sumareh, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review. Despite being down two goals, Malaysia continued to push forward, coming close twice late in the game.

G. Pavithran's wide attempt in the 90th minute and Muhammad Faris' effort from a tight angle were both parried by Patrik, leaving Malaysia in a 2-0 deficit for their return leg at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi.