Kuala lumpur: Harimau Malaya must gain an early advantage over Vietnam in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-final at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras before travelling to Hanoi if they are to stand a strong chance of reaching the final, says local football analyst Zakaria Rahim.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the strategy is crucial for Tan Cheng Hoe's squad to make up for the absence of several key players in facing Vietnam. Tomorrow's first-leg semi-final is not merely an opportunity to seek victory, but a chance for the national squad to put Vietnam under pressure before the two sides meet again at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on August 19.
Zakaria emphasized that Malaysia does not necessarily need a big win, but securing an advantage at home is crucial, as the atmosphere in Hanoi is expected to be far more challenging against the Golden Star Warriors. "This is not 90 minutes, but 180 minutes. We play 90 minutes in Malaysia and then go to My Dinh in Hanoi. So before going to Hanoi, we need to 'wound' Vietnam first. I am not saying we need to win big, but we need to 'wound' them before they welcome us in Hanoi," he told Bernama.
Hanoi is considered one of the most difficult venues for visiting teams due to the passionate support of Vietnamese fans, which can spur the home players on. Zakaria shared his first-hand experience of witnessing how the home supporters played a major role in piling pressure on the opposing team, emphasizing the need for Malaysia to secure a favorable result in Cheras.
However, Harimau Malaya faces an uphill task as they will be without most of their key players, leaving the team with very limited options. Cheng Hoe's task is made even more difficult, especially with the national squad reportedly having only around 16 players in training. Key players such as Endrick Dos Santos, Jimmy Raymond, Aliff Haiqal Lokman Hakim Lau, and Engku Shakir Engku Yacob have been ruled out due to injuries, while Wan Kuzain Wan Ahmad Kamal has returned to his United States-based club, Sporting Jax.
Zakaria also advised Harimau Malaya to prevent the Vietnamese from finding their rhythm, particularly three players he regarded as capable of posing a threat: Nguyen Xuan Son, captain Nguyen Quang Hai, and Nguyen Hoang Duc. He stressed the importance of cutting off the supply line to Nguyen Xuan Son by ensuring Nguyen Quang Hai is not given room to feed him the ball.
Lastly, Zakaria urged the national players to control the tempo of the game to nullify Vietnam's advantage of pace, while also closing down spaces for crosses and build-up play.