KUALA LUMPUR — Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik believes his team face a stern test when they meet Malaysia in a crucial Group F clash of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers at Bukit Jalil tomorrow night.
Speaking ahead of the tie, Sang-sik said preparing for the match had been unusually challenging due to the fresh look of Peter Cklamovski’s Malaysian squad, which now includes a mix of local, naturalised and heritage players.
“I think it will be a difficult match. Malaysia have 18 players in the squad and there are five new faces for the game against Vietnam,” the South Korean coach said at a pre-match press conference, Bernama reported.
“It’s true we are having a hard time evaluating their players — there is not much information for us — but we are preparing well. We aim to be ready and put up a strong performance tomorrow.”
Among the new additions to the Harimau Malaya side are forwards Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca and Joao Figueiredo, along with defenders Jon Irazabal and Facundo Garces.
They join earlier call-ups midfielder Hector Hevel and defender Gabriel Palmero, bringing the total number of heritage players in the squad to seven.
Vietnam captain Do Duy Manh echoed his coach’s sentiment, saying the inclusion of these players makes Malaysia a more formidable opponent than in past meetings.
“There are many foreign players. They are very good players. Tomorrow’s match will not be easy for us,” he said. “It won’t be like 2018. Malaysia have a new coach and a new squad.”
Duy Manh, who was part of the side that defeated Malaysia in the 2018 AFF Cup final, said Vietnam would need to rely on their collective strength and attacking unity to secure a result.
“This could be the most difficult match to advance to the 2027 Asian Cup,” he added. “But we will do our best to win.”
Vietnam may lead the head-to-head record — Malaysia last beat them in 2014 — but Cklamovski is confident that his men are now better equipped than ever to break the decade-long winless streak.
The Australian coach pointed to two key advantages: the squad’s bolstered talent pool and a structured centralised training camp that began on May 19.
Cklamovski said the presence of the heritage players has added steel to the defence, creativity to the midfield, and more attacking options up front.
“It's been sharp, and again, our physical numbers keep improving. We're looking forward to turning all of that into a team performance tomorrow night,” the 46-year-old said.
Both sides currently sit level at the top of Group F with three points apiece after winning their opening matches, making Tuesday’s encounter potentially decisive in the race to qualify for the continental tournament.
Despite Vietnam’s dominant record, Cklamovski believes the occasion presents an opportunity, not a burden.
“Instead of being fearful of that (record against Vietnam), it's a challenge that the players and all the staff in our environment want to embrace,” he said. “That opportunity is in front of us.”
Malaysia captain Matthew Davies, meanwhile, is keeping the focus internal, saying the team are more concerned with executing their own game plan than dwelling on their opponents.
“One of the differences I've noticed under Peter is that we're more focused on how we play as a group rather than individual performances,” said the Johor Darul Ta’zim defender.
“So, while we’re aware of Vietnam’s strength and we respect them, I think we’ll be more focused on what we do tomorrow night.” — June 9, 2025
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