João Figueiredo (yellow) and teammates pulled off a commanding performance to win at home. VNA/VNS Photo

Anh Đức

KUALA LUMPUR - The Việt Nam national football team lost by four goals to Malaysia at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

With the home advantage and a clear gap in physicality, Malaysia's new and improved national side scored three past Nguyễn Filip in the second half, with newly naturalised players João Figueiredo and Rodrigo Holgado along with veterans La'Vere Corbin-Ong and Dion Cools on the scoresheet.

Before the match, Việt Nam was unbeaten against Malaysia for eleven years, with the last defeat occurring in the 2014 AFF Championship.

But this Malaysian side is far different from the team that failed to make the 2024 ASEAN Championship semifinal, with five players of Malaysian heritage currently playing in South America and Europe called up and naturalised for this Asian Cup qualifiers campaign.

More adversity came for Kim Sang-sik's squad, as prolific striker Nguyễn Xuân Son is still out after a nasty injury suffered in the ASEAN Championship Final at the beginning of the year.

The Golden Star Warriors however, despite the disadvantages, pulled up a great fight against Harimau Malaya in the first half, with Filip playing the hero, pulling off saves after saves to deny Figueiredo and Arif Aiman.

Up front however, Việt Nam did not have control of the match, and had to play a tight defensive game. Zero shots were registered by the men in red during the first half.

The injuries from starting centre-backs Nguyễn Thành Chung and Bùi Tiến Dũng further exposed those flaws in the second half, which Malaysia easily capitalised after the break.

In the 48th minute, Võ Hoàng Minh Khoa, who had his second game in the national team jersey, lost possession in midfield to a racing Figueiredo, who sprinted towards the six-yard box and pulled off a freak shot that rebounded off Đỗ Duy Mạnh's leg, went over Filip's head and into the back of the net, as the Czech-born keeper was in disbelief.

Malaysia doubled their lead just eleven minutes later, as Aiman capitalised on a misposition by Phạm Xuân Mạnh to run into Việt Nam's six yard box, and deliver an easy cross for Holgado to tap in Filip's empty net.

Coach Kim brought on Nguyễn Quang Hải just after the second goal, but there was not much that Hải could do to turn the ship around, as the decline in morale and stamina kept on for Việt Nam.

In a similar fashion to the second goal, Việt Nam conceded a third courtesy of Corbin-Ong in the 67th minute, before Cools put the cherry on top for the supporters at Bukit Jalil with a fourth goal in the 88th minute.

The result put a dent in Việt Nam's hopes of qualification for the Asian Cup, as they fell to second place behind Malaysia. As only the first-placed teams of the qualifying groups can go to the Asian Cup, Việt Nam will have to put on a much better performance in the remaining games, starting with the match against Nepal on October 9. VNS