Cheng Hoe refuses to surrender after Malaysia falls 2-0 to Vietnam in ASEAN Cup
Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe refused to concede defeat in the 2026 ASEAN Cup semi-finals after Malaysia fell 2-0 to Vietnam in their first-leg tie at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras on Sunday.
Source: Astro Awani · August 16, 2026 at 10:32 PM · AI-assisted report
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HANOI, 17 AUGUST 2026 —
Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe refused to concede defeat in the 2026 ASEAN Cup semi-finals after Malaysia fell 2-0 to Vietnam in their first-leg tie at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras on Sunday.
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Vietnam secured the first-leg advantage through Nguyen Xuan Son's strike five minutes into first-half stoppage time and an 86th-minute own goal by Muhammad Faris Danish Asrul, according to Bernama. The result leaves Malaysia needing a two-goal turnaround in the return leg at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday.
Cheng Hoe told a post-match press conference that the national team still has 90 minutes to reverse the deficit, describing the loss as a single battle rather than the end of the campaign. The 58-year-old coach commended his squad's defensive work, noting that his relatively inexperienced backline maintained discipline against a formidable Vietnamese side.
Vietnam head coach Kim Sang Sik said he was not entirely satisfied with his team's overall performance, acknowledging that their first-half tactical plan did not fully materialise. The South Korean manager dismissed suggestions that Vietnam could already turn their focus to the final, instructing his players to address weaknesses before the second leg in Hanoi.
In the other semi-final first leg, Thailand defeated Singapore 3-1, Bernama reported. The two-legged tournament final is scheduled to take place on Aug. 22 and Aug. 26.
Related: Hanoi