‘We still have 90 minutes to go’: Cheng Hoe refuses to give up after Malaysia’s 2-0 loss to Vietnam

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Harimau Malaya interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe remains confident despite Malaysia's 2-0 loss to Vietnam in the Asean Cup 2026 semi-final's first leg. He emphasized that Malaysia has another 90 minutes to play and should seize the opportunity to turn the game around during the return leg. Despite facing a challenging atmosphere with Vietnam's home crowd, Cheng Hoe believes Malaysia can challenge the situation and improve from the loss.

The match ended with Nguyen Xuan Son's goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time and an own goal by Muhammad Faris Danish Asrul in the 86th minute, giving Vietnam the upper hand. Cheng Hoe urged the team to focus on correcting small details, particularly in final passes, transition play, and decision-making in the opponent's half.

He expressed pride in his players, especially the inexperienced backline, and viewed the match as valuable exposure for younger players like Ahmad Aysar Hadi Mohd Shapri and Ibrahim Manusi. Vietnam head coach Kim Sang Sik admitted that his side's preparations for the first half didn't work as planned, but remained unsatisfied with the overall performance.

He questioned whether Vietnam was already planning for the final after securing a two-goal advantage and emphasized that his players must improve before returning to action in Hanoi. Xuan Son expressed satisfaction with his opportunity and anticipation for another physical contest in Hanoi, believing he is well prepared to handle Malaysia's approach.