Vietnamese players in the training camp preparing for matches against Bangladesh and Malaysia. VNA/VNS Photo

Anh Đức

Although the match between Việt Nam and Malaysia is eight days away from now, we can all agree that fairness and integrity are the winner in this prolonged drama between the two teams.

I can recall multiple headlines on social media during the past few months fearing that Malaysia could escape the punishments from FIFA and AFC, conspiracy theories concerning the multiple delays and appeals from the Malaysian side, and that hope is all but lost for Việt Nam in qualifying for the Asian Cup.

But last Tuesday, all of those fears and conspiracies, crumbled like a sand castle at high tide.

Malaysia was handed two default losses to Nepal and Việt Nam in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying third round after breaching tournament rules and fielding ineligible players.

The seven players in question, newly naturalised, were found by FIFA in September of having their eligibility documents falsified, which violated a FIFA rule on player eligibility in international football tournaments.

A nine-month long drama that started with an investigation by FIFA into the actual origins of Malaysia's seven newly naturalised players, escalating in disputes, appeals and resignations by football officials, ended with fortunes reversed for both teams in the race for qualification to Asia's biggest football event.

Malaysia was deducted six points, while Việt Nam given an additional three points to go ahead of Malaysia in the group. The AFC's ruling created a seven-point gap that ensured Việt Nam's qualification for the Asian Cup for the third consecutive time. Malaysia, who topped the group before the decision was made, is now out.

The ruling by the AFC also changed the context of the match between Việt Nam and Malaysia on March 31. Before the confederation's verdict, Việt Nam needed to beat Malaysia by five goals or more to ensure qualification, but now as both teams' fates are sealed, the match has become somewhat procedural.

But 'procedural' does not mean 'meaningless'. For Malaysia, this is now a matter of pride. Coach Peter Cklamovski's squad, stripped of the seven disqualified players but still containing ten players of mixed heritage and three fully foreign-born naturalised footballers, will arrive at Thiên Trường Stadium in Ninh Bình determined to prove that their team is more than the scandal that consumed it. Malaysian media have signalled as much: if their elimination was decided in a boardroom, they want the pitch to tell a different story.

For Việt Nam, the incentive is equally clear. A convincing victory would improve the team's FIFA ranking, which directly influences seeding for the Asian Cup draw in Saudi Arabia next year.

A higher seed means a more favourable group - and after the painful 4-0 defeat to Malaysia at Bukit Jalil last June, a result that now carries an asterisk, coach Kim Sang-sik and the fans want a response delivered on home soil.

As football pundit Vũ Quang Huy put it, Việt Nam must win convincingly to prove that their qualification is deserved on merit, not merely handed to them by a tribunal. Building football through transparent, honest methods will always be more sustainable than chasing shortcuts – and Malaysia's scandal is a cautionary tale for the entire region.

The match on March 31 may not decide who qualifies, but it will decide something arguably more important: who leaves the pitch with their dignity intact. VNS