HANOI: Vietnam forward Nguyễn Đình Bắc looks poised to emulate compatriots Lê Huỳnh Đức, Nguyễn Tiến Linh and Nguyễn Xuân Son by becoming the top goalscorer at the Asean Hyundai Cup 2026.
After the completion of the Group Stage, the 21-year-old Đình Bắc leads the scoring chart with five goals for the defending champions, who will now face Malaysia in the semi-finals.
Đình Bắc fired a hat-trick in the opening 7-0 win against Timor-Leste but was substituted before half-time in the Golden Star Warriors’ home match against Singapore, which ended in a goalless draw.
He regained his scoring touch in the final group match, notching a double against Cambodia to regain the faith of his coach Kim Sang-sik.
Indonesia’s Mitch Baker and Win Naing Tun of Myanmar are second on the list with four goals, but the duo will no longer be involved in the tournament, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, after their teams bowed out of the Group Stage.
Malaysian captain Paulo Josué and Ilhan Fandi of Singapore will be Đình Bắc’s closest rivals as both have scored three goals each and will have at least two more matches in the semi-finals to raise their tally in the race for the event's Yanmar Top Goal Scorer award.
Huỳnh Đức was the tournament’s joint top-scorer in the 2002 edition with eight goals, Tiến Linh notched six goals in 2022 while Xuân Son, who has scored twice in this edition, was the top scorer in 2024 with seven goals, in which he was also the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Chasing their first back-to-back titles, Vietnam have shown they are always on the front foot, taking 74 shots at goal through four matches, the highest of any team. A total of 24 shots were on target.
With Nguyễn Hoàng Đức, Nguyễn Hai Long and Lê Phạm Thành Long running the team’s engine room, the Vietnamese have averaged 57.6% of possession (ranked third) and registered 88% in accurate passes (ranked first).
Vietnam play Malaysia in the first leg semi-final in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Thailand, who travel to face Singapore in the other semi-final on Saturday, have produced four clean sheets in as many matches, the only team yet to concede a goal. The Thais have been solid through a combination of top goalkeeping by Kampol Pathomakkakul and a sturdy defence marshalled by Pansa Hemviboon and Nattapong Sayriya.
The seven-times champions have also scored 10 goals, with Kakana Khamyok, Teerasak Poeiphimai and Yotsakon Burapha contributing two goals each.
Singapore may have scored only five goals in their campaign so far, the lowest amongst the four semi-finalists, but in 23-year-old forward Ilhan, the Lions have an in-form goal poacher capable of being the match-winner at any time.
The son of the legendary Fandi Ahmad, Ilhan scored a spectacular scissor-kick injury-time winner against Cambodia before sneaking ahead of his marker to nod home Singapore’s first goal in the 2-0 win over Timor-Leste. In the crucial decider against Indonesia, he coolly poked home the equaliser to send his team into their third semi-finals tie over the past four editions.
Winger Pavithran Gunalan has emerged as a rising star in Malaysia’s progress into the last four as the Harimau Malaya look to win a second Asean Championship title following their lone triumph in 2010. The 21-year-old Pavithran scored the solitary goal in the 1-0 win over the Philippines that secured a meeting against Vietnam. He also played an instrumental role in the 4-0 win over Laos with two assists.
Centreback Ubaidullah Shamsul, who has established a formidable partnership with Rodney Celvin in the heart of defence, has been key in the team’s build-up with 283 passes, the joint most by any player, while debutant Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal has sparkled with his stunning freekick goal against Laos and providing the assist for Pavithran’s first senior international goal for Malaysia.
The Asean Hyundai Cup 2026 Yanmar Top Goal Scorer award will be presented at the conclusion of the tournament in addition to the Hyundai Most Valuable Player, adidas Rising Star and the tournament's Best Goalkeeper awards to recognise individual performances throughout the competition.
