Group C: Vietnam cruise past Malaysia to confirm knockout stage spot

Vietnam finished second behind group winners Korea Republic, who ended Thailand’s hopes with a 1-0 victory in the simultaneous kick-off.

Vietnam will face the Group D winners in the quarter-finals.

Vietnam needed to win to keep their hopes alive against a Malaysian side playing for pride and the 2018 runners-up ramped up the pressure from the first blow of the referee’s whistle at the Lokomotiv Stadium.

Huynh Công Den tested the Malaysian defence as early as the first minute as Vietnam looked for an early goal but Malaysia gradually settled into the match and were resolute defensively.

When Vietnam did break through, Malaysia goalkeeper Firdaus Imran Fadhil was at his best, diving low to deny Nham Manh Dung’s shot from the left side of the box.

There was nothing Firdaus could do, however, when Vietnam attacked again in the 28th minute, as Nham Manh Dung rose high to head home Nguyen Thanh Nhân’s cross.

Disaster struck Malaysia just before the half-time whistle when a VAR review led to Hairiey Hakim not only being penalised for a handball in the area but also red-carded for the offence.

Bùi Hoàng Viêt Anh’s spot-kick was saved by  Firdaus but the Vietnam defender reacted quickly to slot home the rebound.

Content with their 2-0 lead, Vietnam opted for a more conservative approach in the second half as they allowed Malaysia to come at them.

The Malaysians, however, couldn’t find the breakthrough that could have given them hope of a comeback as they exited the competition with their third successive defeat.