Vietnam defeats Malaysia 2-0 in ASEAN Cup semifinal first leg

Vietnam secured a 2-0 victory against Malaysia in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semifinals in Kuala Lumpur. Nguyen Xuan Son opened the scoring with a diving header in first-half stoppage time, while a late own goal by Malaysia's Faris Danish doubled the lead.

Vietnam goalkeeper Le Giang Patrik earned high praise for his performance, including a crucial save in stoppage time and a successful VAR review that overturned a red card. The victory gives head coach Kim Sang-sik a significant advantage heading into the second leg at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on August 19.

Malaysia faces a difficult path to the final, needing to win by at least three goals in the return leg to avoid extra time. The Malaysian squad is also dealing with injury concerns, including defender Rodney Celvin, who left the pitch early in the first leg. Meanwhile, Thailand holds a commanding lead in the other semifinal after defeating Singapore 3-1.