Malaysia's forward Shahrel Fikri Fauzi (L) fights for the ball with Vietnam's defender Nguyen Trong Hoang (R) during the match. - AFP
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s wish of sealing a third straight win in the AFF Suzuki Cup campaign was quashed by Vietnam, who defeated them 2-0 at the MyDinh Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam on Friday (Nov 16).
Goals from Nguyen Cong Phuong and Nguyen Van Duc gave Vietnam’s its second win in the tournament while Malaysia heads back to Kuala Lumpur with its first defeat.
In the first half, Harimau Malaya dominated proceedings with intricate passes and enterprising play.
But they were stunned in the 10th minute against the run of play.
A miscued shot from Nguyen Anh Duc found Nguyen Cong Phuong, who calmly slotted the ball past Malaysian captain and goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
The goal certainly delighted Vietnamese prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the 40,000 fans at the MyDinh Stadium.
Malaysia continued to hold the majority of the possession but they could not find a way to get past the Vietnamese defence.
Vietnam maintained a patient approach throughout the match, with pacy movement and effective passing, despite having only 34% of possession.
The Malaysian team, coached by Tan Cheng Hoe, continued to dominate in the second half. But Vietnam were tactically resolute and frustrated the players with their efficient zonal marking.
Vietnam’s patient approach paid off when the Golden Dragons scored, against the run of play again, after Phan Van Duc’s beautiful through pass found 33-year-old striker Anh Duc, whose cool finish gave Vietnam a 2-0 lead in the 60th minute.
The scoreline remained at 2-0 till the finishing whistle.
Vietnam will look to continue their winning streak and also seal a spot in the knockout stages by beating Cambodia in Hanoi on Nov 24.
Malaysia will next face Myanmar at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on Nov 24 to complete their Group A campaign in the AFF Suzuki Cup.
Malaysia will need to win against Myanmar to book a place in the knockout stages of the tournament.
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