Vietnamese team’s players celebrate beating Malaysia in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-finals on Sunday. — Photo thethaovanhoa.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam head coach Kim Sang-sik has urged his players to stay focused after a 2-0 win over Malaysia in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-finals on Sunday.

The result gives the Golden Star Warriors an advantage ahead of the return leg in Hà Nội, but Kim said the tie is far from over.

Kim was pleased with the result, especially after Việt Nam had to play away from home in difficult conditions. He also praised the players for their effort.

However, he admitted that Việt Nam struggled adapting to the pitch and had some tactical issues in the first half.

“We can consider this only the first half of the tie," Kim said.

"Although we are 2-0 up, the whole team needs to recover quickly and make better tactical preparations for the second leg so that we can put in an even better performance."

The coach also praised goalkeeper Patrik Lê Giang for his effort and his organisation of the defence during the match.

Naturalised striker Nguyễn Xuân Son, who scored for Việt Nam, said he was happy with the goal and again spoke about his desire to play for the national team.

He said the heavy pitch made it difficult for Việt Nam to play their game, but he tried to stay patient and wait for his chances in the box.

“I always try to be patient, wait for the right opportunity and do my best inside the box,” Son said.

Malaysia coach Tan Cheng Hoe admitted that Việt Nam were strong, particularly when they quickly switched from defence to attack. He said his players lost concentration in some small details towards the end of the match, which led to the goal.

Despite the defeat, Tan said the match was useful experience for his young players. It showed them how to deal with pressure and accept mistakes as part of football.

Tan said Malaysia still have 90 minutes to play in Hà Nội. He added that the team would analyse their weaknesses, recover and prepare for the second leg at Việt Nam’s home ground.

The second leg will be played at Mỹ Đình National Stadium on Wednesday, with Việt Nam leading 2-0 from the first match. — VNS