KUALA LUMPUR – Vietnam’s national football coach, Kim Sang-sik, is seeking revenge against Malaysia in their upcoming match for the AFC Asian Cup Group F qualifiers in Hanoi.
This comes after Vietnam experienced a humiliating 4-0 loss to Malaysia, marking their first defeat to them in 11 years since the 2014 ASEAN Cup.
Malaysia scored through Joao Figueiredo (49th minute), Rodrigo Holgado (59th), La’Vere Corbin-Ong (67th), and Dion Cools (88th), securing their position at the top of Group F with six points from two matches, following their earlier victory over Nepal 2-0 in March.
Vietnam currently holds second place in the group with three points and is set to face Malaysia again on March 31 next year.
In a post-match press conference, Sang-sik attributed the defeat to the coaching staff’s inadequate analysis of Malaysia’s new players.
He also mentioned that injuries to several key defenders played a role in the loss.
“They (Malaysia) introduced several new players, and we didn’t have enough time to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Our defenders were sidelined due to injuries, so we had to work with the players we had available.
“If we had prepared better, the outcome might have been different for us. However, this is not the end. We still have a long way to go in the race to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
“We will meet Malaysia again in Hanoi next year, and we intend to demonstrate our true capabilities on home ground. We’re aiming for revenge—whether it’s 4-0 or 5-0 will depend on our performance that day,” Sang-sik said.
The 48-year-old coach also expressed his apologies to Vietnamese fans who watched the match from home, calling the defeat a valuable lesson for his team.
“I apologise to the Vietnamese fans who watched on TV and those who attended the stadium. We will work on these weaknesses and come back stronger in the next match,” he added.
Vietnam will take on Nepal at home in their third AFC Asian Cup Group F qualifier on October 9. – June 11, 2025