2020 AFF Cup, Vietnam – Malaysia: the champion asserts strength

The competition between Vietnam and Malaysia in the group stage of this year's tournament is the reenactment of the final match of the 2018 AFF Cup. The fierceness of the previous three years remains intact because both teams want to prove who is the real "king" of the group stage.
2020 AFF Cup, Vietnam – Malaysia: the champion asserts strength ảnh 1 The Vietnamese team in a practice before the match against Malaysia. (Photo: SGGP)
In Southeast Asia, at the moment, not only Malaysia but also Thailand, Indonesia, or Singapore wants to surpass the Vietnamese team. These teams are looking at Vietnam as a target to conquer as Vietnamese football has achieved great success in the continental playground since 2018. The Malaysian football team could only get a draw or a loss in the last five matches against Vietnam, although it always shows toughness in its playing style. Therefore, Malaysia wants to defeat Mr. Park and his players once more than anyone else.

In fact, in recent matches, the Vietnamese team always faced certain difficulties. So tonight, the situation will not be different.

Honestly, it is hard to accurately assess the real ability and strength of the Malaysian team. However, this team still retains its stubbornness and nuisance in tactics, which will make Mr. Park Hang-seo and his players struggle a bit when playing against it.

Since Coach Park Hang-seo came, the Vietnamese team has become increasingly stable, from the personnel to the pattern in the playing style. The main team frame has not changed much over the past 3-4 years.

Mr. Park has a point when he asserts that the more Vietnamese players played, the better they became in the last series of defeats in the 2022 World Cup qualifying round, losing but gaining a lot of things. That is the maturity of the players because they have forged their bravery when competing with strong opponents. It will help the Vietnamese team a lot in the journey to defend the AFF Cup championship this time.

After the recent victory over Laos, the Vietnamese team has relieved the psychological pressure for getting three points and preserving the force for the next match. Tien Linh, Quang Hai only played two-thirds of the game time while Tuan Anh and Ngoc Hai have not played yet. Mr. Park will also have the presence of Hoang Anh in the upcoming match.

On the other side of the field, the Malaysian team has used all its players. In this tournament, the head coach of Malaysia, Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe, does not have many options due to a shortage of players due to injuries or Covid-19. Therefore, despite meeting Cambodia and Laos, Malaysia had to spend a lot of energy. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese team enjoys leisureliness, with abundant players and five days off before this match.

Five pillar players of the Malaysian team will be absent from this match, so their goal probably is to try to get a draw, then focus on the game against Indonesia, which is the key match to reach the semi-finals of Malaysia.

Mr. Tan Cheng Hoe, who operated an excellent defensive and counter-attacking style in the games against Coach Park Hang-seo, is likely to adopt this playing style again in this match. For Vietnam, this match will be an opportunity to practice the experience from the final qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup, which is to learn the methods that strong opponents applied to penetrate the defense of the Vietnamese team.

Certainly, Malaysia will be tougher than the Laos team, so a difficult match awaits Tien Linh, Hoang Duc, Cong Phuong, or Quang Hai.

The match between Vietnam and Malaysia in the 2020 AFF Cup will be aired on VTV6 at 7.30 p.m. tonight.

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