KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Harimau Malaya must gain an early advantage over Vietnam in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-final at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras before travelling to Hanoi if they are to stand a strong chance of reaching the final, says local football analyst Zakaria Rahim.
He said the strategy was crucial for Tan Cheng Hoe's squad to make up for the absence of several key players in facing Vietnam.
Tomorrow's first-leg semi-final, he said, was not merely an opportunity to seek victory, but a chance for the national squad to put Vietnam under pressure before the two sides met again at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Aug 19.
He said Malaysia did not necessarily need a big win, but securing an advantage at home was crucial, as the atmosphere in Hanoi was expected to be far more challenging against the Golden Star Warriors.
"This is not 90 minutes, but 180 minutes. We play 90 minutes in Malaysia and then go to My Dinh in Hanoi. So before going to Hanoi, we need to 'wound' Vietnam first. I am not saying we need to win big, but we need to 'wound' them before they welcome us in Hanoi," he told Bernama.
Zakaria said Hanoi was among the most difficult venues for visiting teams due to the passionate support of Vietnamese fans, which could spur the home players on.
He said he had been in Hanoi when Malaysia played Vietnam and witnessed first-hand how the home supporters played a major role in piling pressure on the opposing team.
"Their supporters are very passionate. The players also play for the supporters, and they know the fans want a win. That is why Malaysia need to get something in Cheras first. If we go to Hanoi without an advantage, we will face a big problem," he said.
Zakaria said, however, Harimau Malaya faced an uphill task as they would be without most of their key players, leaving the team with very limited options.
He said the situation made Cheng Hoe's task even more difficult, especially after the national squad was reported to have only around 16 players in training.
"Cheng Hoe is really scratching his head. He has to face Vietnam, a strong team, and then there are two matches, in KL and My Dinh. His player options are also very limited," he said.
Among the national players unavailable for the clash against Vietnam are Endrick Dos Santos, Jimmy Raymond, Aliff Haiqal Lokman Hakim Lau and Engku Shakir Engku Yacob, who have been ruled out due to injuries, while Wan Kuzain Wan Ahmad Kamal has returned to his United States-based club, Sporting Jax.
Meanwhile, Zakaria reminded Harimau Malaya not to allow the Vietnamese to find their rhythm, particularly three players he regarded as capable of posing a threat, namely Nguyen Xuan Son, captain Nguyen Quang Hai and Nguyen Hoang Duc.
He said Malaysia needed to cut off the supply line to Nguyen Xuan Son by ensuring Nguyen Quang Hai was not given room to feed him the ball.
"Do not give Quang Hai room to play behind Malaysia's midfield because that is dangerous. Do not let him feed the ball to Xuan Son. Hoang Duc should also not be given room to move. These three players need to be closely watched," he said.
Zakaria also urged the national players to control the tempo of the game to nullify Vietnam's advantage of pace, besides closing down spaces for crosses and build-up play.
-- BERNAMA