PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s final 2027 Asian Cup Group F qualifier against Vietnam is shaping up to be a tense encounter, with a strong element of revenge in the air.
And those who may feel the heat the most are Malaysia’s goalkeepers.
Vietnam, bolstered by the return of prolific striker Rafaelson Bezerra – now known as Nguyen Xuan Son – are expected to pose a significant threat as they look to settle the score against Harimau Malaya.
The Golden Dragons suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat to Malaysia in their first meeting during the third-round qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur last year.
However, the result was later overturned with Vietnam being awarded a 3-0 win after Malaysia were found to have fielded ineligible players.
Heading into the return fixture at the Nam Dinh Stadium on March 31, Vietnam are in formidable form.
They recently defeated Bangladesh 3-0 in an international friendly in Hanoi and have already secured top spot in the group with a perfect 15 points from five matches, sealing their place in the Asian Cup.
Malaysia goalkeeper Azri Ghani believes the squad must stay mentally strong and united, regardless of who gets the nod between the posts.
“I’ve been getting minutes with Negri Sembilan, and that has given me the morale and spirit to keep pushing,” said Azri.
“If given the chance, whether it’s me, Haziq (Nadzli) or (Ahmad) Syihan (Hazmi), we hope to contribute and help the team against Vietnam. Whoever plays must be ready to do the job.”
