The Vietnamese national team returns home after completing the second matchday of the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers

On the afternoon of June 11, the Vietnamese national team returned to Hanoi, concluding their second matchday in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers after an away game at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Malaysia. VFF General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú personally went to the airport to welcome and encourage the team on behalf of the Vietnam Football Federation’s leadership.

12/06/2025 08:57:20

In the match against Malaysia, despite their great efforts, the Vietnamese national team was unable to cause an upset against a home side that had significantly strengthened its squad with high-quality naturalized players currently playing in Europe and South America. On the other hand, head coach Kim Sang Sik faced numerous personnel challenges, with key players such as Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh, Nguyễn Thanh Bình, Doãn Ngọc Tân, and Nguyễn Xuân Sơn all sidelined due to injury. During the match, Thành Chung and Bùi Tiến Dũng were also forced to leave the field due to pain, prompting the coaching staff to make unplanned adjustments to both the lineup and tactics.

General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú inquired about the injury status of defender Nguyễn Thành Chung

The 0-4 loss to Malaysia significantly altered the standings in Group F. Vietnam now sits in second place with 3 points and a goal difference of +1, while Malaysia has taken the top spot with 6 points and a goal difference of +6. According to the regulations, rankings in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers are determined based on points, head-to-head goal difference, overall goal difference, total goals scored, fair play points, and drawing of lots if necessary. This means that in order to top the group, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team must win all of their remaining matches and defeat Malaysia by at least five goals in the return leg at home in March 2026. If Vietnam beats Malaysia by four goals, additional tie-breaker criteria will need to be used to determine the group winner.

Coach Kim Sang Sik candidly acknowledged: “We have to admit that Malaysia has become significantly stronger thanks to their naturalized players. However, football is always full of miracles. If we prepare well for the match in Hanoi, I believe we still have a chance to make up for today’s four-goal loss.”

After wrapping up this training camp and the second matchday, the players will return to their clubs to continue competing in the remaining rounds of the V.League and the National Cup. The Vietnamese national team will regroup during the October FIFA Days to prepare for the home match against Nepal on October 9, followed by the away leg on October 14.

Before that, head coach Kim Sang Sik will lead the Vietnam U23 team at the 2025 AFF U23 Championship in Indonesia in July and the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, which will be held at Việt Trì Stadium in September.