Malaysia vs Vietnam at 5pm: Harimau Malaya Try to End a 12-Match Winless Run Before the Indonesia-Thailand Final
Malaysia face Vietnam for third place at GBK at 5pm today, chasing a first win over the Vietnamese since 2014. The final follows at 9pm.
Harimau Malaya play their last match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup this evening, and it comes with an unwanted piece of history. Malaysia meet Vietnam in the third-place play-off at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium in Jakarta, against an opponent they have not beaten in more than a decade.
Hosts Indonesia then play Thailand at the same stadium for the first FIFA ASEAN Cup title.
Kick-off times (Malaysian time)
- Malaysia vs Vietnam (third place): 5pm today, Monday 5 October (4pm in Jakarta)
- Indonesia vs Thailand (final): 9pm today (8pm in Jakarta)
Both matches are at GBK in Jakarta.
The record Malaysia want to end
Bernama reports that Malaysia have gone 12 matches without beating Vietnam since 2014, losing 11 and drawing one. Their last win came in the 2014 AFF Cup semi-final second leg, a 4-2 victory under Dollah Salleh.
The latest meeting is still fresh. In August, Vietnam beat Malaysia 2-0 in the second leg of the ASEAN Championship semi-final to go through 4-0 on aggregate.
Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe did not hide from the numbers. "We have not defeated them in the last 10 years," he said, adding that "the most important thing is for us to remain focused" against what he called a stronger Vietnam side.
He also wants his team to be sharper in front of goal. "We have to make use of the chances and opportunities in front of goal. We have to be very clinical," Cheng Hoe said.
Team news: no Cools and no Faisal, but Bergson is back
Malaysia are missing two important players:
- Dion Cools (captain): left the camp after the Singapore match to deal with urgent family matters. "We respect Dion's decision and wish him the best," Cheng Hoe said.
- Faisal Halim (winger): has gone home for more treatment on the calf and tendon injuries he picked up against Indonesia.
There is better news up front. Striker Bergson Da Silva has served his suspension for two yellow cards and can play.
Defender Brad Tapp, the 25-year-old Australian-Malaysian who made his international debut at this tournament, summed up the mood: "Obviously, we're disappointed not to be playing in the final but we're all proud of the effort."
How Malaysia ended up here
Malaysia finished their group unbeaten and without conceding a goal. They drew 0-0 with Indonesia and beat Singapore 6-0 on Thursday, scoring nine goals in total. It still wasn't enough. Indonesia finished level on seven points and level on goal difference, but went through to the final because they scored 11 goals to Malaysia's nine.
Indonesia's last two goals in their 9-2 win over Bangladesh came deep into stoppage time, after the added time on display was changed from two minutes to seven. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has asked FIFA to explain the change, while saying it is not disputing the result.
The final: Indonesia vs Thailand
Indonesia won Group A on seven points. They beat Singapore 2-0, held Malaysia 0-0 despite playing with ten men after Thom Haye's red card in the 37th minute, and then thrashed Bangladesh 9-2, with Mitchell Lee Baker scoring five.
Thailand topped Group B on six points and finished above Vietnam thanks to their 2-0 head-to-head win.
Key takeaways
- Malaysia vs Vietnam kicks off at 5pm Malaysian time at GBK; the Indonesia-Thailand final follows at 9pm.
- Malaysia have not beaten Vietnam in 12 meetings since 2014 (11 losses, one draw).
- Captain Dion Cools (family matters) and Faisal Halim (injury) are out; Bergson Da Silva is available again.
- Malaysia missed the final on goals scored despite not conceding in the group stage.
FAQ
What time is Malaysia vs Vietnam today? Kick-off is at 5pm Malaysian time (4pm in Jakarta) on Monday 5 October at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
When did Malaysia last beat Vietnam? In 2014, when they won 4-2 in the AFF Cup semi-final second leg under coach Dollah Salleh.
Who is in the FIFA ASEAN Cup final? Hosts Indonesia play Thailand at GBK, kicking off at 9pm Malaysian time.
Sources: Bernama, The Star, Little Red Dot