‘We still have 90 minutes to go’: Cheng Hoe refuses to give up after Malaysia’s 2-0 loss to Vietnam

Harimau Malaya interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe said Malaysia may have lost the first battle on home soil, but the players must give their best in the return leg, despite facing a difficult atmosphere in front of Vietnam’s home crowd in My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi, this Wednesday. — Bernama pic

First Published: Monday, 17 Aug 2026 10:28 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Harimau Malaya interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe refuses to write Malaysia off despite the 0-2 defeat to Vietnam in the first leg of the Asean Cup 2026 semi-final at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, Cheras, tonight.

Cheng Hoe said Malaysia may have lost the first battle on home soil, but the players must give their best in the return leg, despite facing a difficult atmosphere in front of Vietnam’s home crowd in My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi, this Wednesday.

“We still have another 90 minutes to go. We didn’t lose the war, just that we lost the battle.

“Probably you might score one goal, then you get the confidence. Of course, we know Vietnam will be very strong in their home game. I’m confident that we need to go there and challenge the situation,” he told post-match press conference.

A Nguyen Xuan Son goal in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time and an own goal by Muhammad Faris Danish Asrul in the 86th minute have handed Vietnam the upper hand for Wednesday’s return leg.

Cheng Hoe said the team must now focus on correcting the small details, particularly in the final pass, transition play and decision-making in the opponent’s half.

Despite the setback, the 58-year-old said he was proud of his players, especially the inexperienced backline who shown character against a strong Vietnam side, while also viewing the match as valuable exposure for the younger players such as Ahmad Aysar Hadi Mohd Shapri and Ibrahim Manusi.

“I’m optimistic that this kind of game will really give them the confidence, give them the experience for them to play better games in the future,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vietnam head coach Kim Sang Sik was far from satisfied with The Golden Star Warriors overall performance despite the victory, admitting that his side’s first-half preparations did not work as planned.

The South Korean coach also played down suggestions that Vietnam could already be planning for the final following the two-goal advantage, and demanding that his players must improve before returning to action in Hanoi.

In the meantime, Xuan Son said he was pleased to have made the most of his opportunity after enduring a physically demanding battle against Malaysia’s defenders.

The 29-year-old player also expects another physical contest in Hanoi but believes he is well equipped to handle Malaysia’s approach as Vietnam look to protect their two-goal lead. — Bernama