The shocking defeat took place at Bukit Jalil Stadium in front of over 61,000 fans, with all four Malaysian goals coming in the second half.

“Vietnam couldn’t resist Malaysia in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers,” wrote Thai Rath, adding that the Vietnamese squad was overwhelmed in the second Group F match.

Leading Thai sports outlet Siam Sport described the second half as an “explosive” performance by Malaysia. The team, dubbed the Golden Tigers, secured their second consecutive victory, claiming the top spot in Group F with 6 points.

Siam Sport outlined the match’s turning points: “Malaysia began by controlling the ball but couldn’t break through Vietnam’s defense before halftime. Moments into the second half, Brazilian-born forward Joao Figueiredo opened the scoring. In the 58th minute, another newcomer, Rodrigo Holgado from Argentina, doubled the lead.”

The barrage continued with goals from English-born defender Corbin-Ong and Belgian-raised Dion Cools, sealing a dominant 4-0 win.

Vietnam failed to match Malaysia’s tempo after halftime. Without the heroics of goalkeeper Nguyen Filip, the scoreline might have been even more lopsided.

Indonesian sports outlet Bola also weighed in, crediting Malaysia’s wave of new naturalized players as the major difference-maker in ending an 11-year losing streak to Vietnam.

“All of Malaysia’s goals came through standout performances from their new naturalized stars,” Bola wrote. “Brazilian-born Joao Figueiredo broke the deadlock in the 49th minute. Minutes later, Argentina’s Rodrigo Holgado made it 2-0.”

Vietnam struggled to create rhythm, and soon defenders Corbin-Ong and Dion Cools added their names to the scoresheet. Cools, though representing Malaysia, was born and raised in Belgium.

For Vietnam, this was the heaviest defeat under head coach Kim Sang Sik. It significantly jeopardizes their chances of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup and raises concerns about tactical depth and squad adaptability, especially against physically and tactically advanced opponents.

Ngoc Huy