Southeast Asian fans are stirred up as Vietnam chooses a 'fiery cauldron' to face Malaysia
The rematch between Vietnam and Malaysia in the last round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers is attracting significant interest among Southeast Asian fans.
Vietnam's national team is expected to host Malaysia at the Thien Truong Stadium (Ninh Binh), which is regarded as one of the most passionate football "cauldrons" in Vietnam. The last time Vietnam played there was in June 2023, when they defeated Syria 1-0.
Thien Truong is famous for its fiery atmosphere, regularly welcoming tens of thousands of spectators at V-League matches, creating a huge psychological advantage for the home team. This factor has sparked ongoing debates and mixed opinions among Southeast Asian fans regarding Vietnam’s chances against Malaysia.
An Indonesian fan commented excitedly: “Xuan Son will score a hat-trick.”
Meanwhile, Malaysian fans appeared cautious yet confident: “Let's see how Malaysia performs without Latin players.”
From Thailand, a fan gave a very cautious assessment of Vietnam’s situation: “The final match is extremely tough for Vietnam. They need to beat Malaysia at home by a 5-0 margin to secure a spot in the Asian Cup, which is almost impossible.”.
On the other hand, there are positive opinions about Vietnamese football. A Malaysian fan expressed respect: “Respect to Vietnam, the stadium is top quality. Thank you, Vietnam.”
Meanwhile, Vietnamese fans are placing full trust in the home advantage: “Xuan Son’s home ground and he knows exactly what to do.”
In terms of performance, Vietnam currently ranks second in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers after 5 matches, with 4 wins and 1 loss. Notably, their only defeat was a 0-4 loss to Malaysia in the first leg at Bukit Jalil Stadium in June 2025.
However, the group’s situation changed significantly after FIFA confirmed that the Football Association of Malaysia used ineligible naturalized players. Specifically, in matches against Nepal and Vietnam, Malaysia was found to have fielded several players with forged documents. After FIFA issued sanctions and rejected FAM’s appeal, Malaysia proceeded to file a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
If CAS upholds FIFA’s decision, the AFC will have grounds to award Malaysia 0-3 losses for the matches in violation, completely reshuffling the Group F standings. The final ruling is expected to be announced by AFC by late March or early April, before the list of 24 teams for the 2027 Asian Cup finals is finalized.
Nevertheless, before waiting for the AFC’s verdict, Vietnam must fully focus on defeating Malaysia at Thien Truong. In the March training camp, coach Kim Sang-sik is likely to call up young talents from the U23 squad such as Trung Kien, Nhat Minh, Xuan Bac, Dinh Bac, alongside naturalized players and the strong return of Xuan Son.
Vietnam is expected to host Malaysia at Thien Truong Stadium (Ninh Binh), considered one of the most fervent football “cauldrons” in Vietnam. The last time Vietnam played here was in June 2023, when they beat Syria 1-0.
Thien Truong is well-known for its blazing atmosphere, regularly attracting tens of thousands of fans per V-League match, which provides a significant psychological edge for the home side. This aspect has led to ongoing discussions and varied predictions among Southeast Asian supporters about Vietnam’s prospects against Malaysia.
The match between Vietnam and Malaysia is scheduled at Thien Truong Stadium (Photo: ASEAN FOOTBALL).
An Indonesian fan commented with excitement: “Xuan Son will score a hat-trick.”
Meanwhile, Malaysian fans showed caution but remained confident: “Let’s see how Malaysia performs without Latin players.”
From Thailand, a fan gave a very careful assessment of Vietnam’s position: “The last match is extremely challenging for Vietnam. They need to defeat Malaysia at home by a 5-0 margin to secure Asian Cup qualification, which is nearly impossible.”This view accurately reflects the pressure facing Vietnam as Group F’s outcome remains unsettled.
Conversely, there are also positive comments about Vietnamese football. A Malaysian fan expressed respect: “Respect to Vietnam, the stadium is of high quality. Thank you, Vietnam.”
Meanwhile, Vietnamese fans put full faith in the home advantage: “Xuan Son’s home stadium and he knows exactly what to do.”
Southeast Asian fans are stirred as the Vietnam vs Malaysia match takes place at the “fiery cauldron” Thien Truong (Photo: Makanbola).
In terms of sports performance, Vietnam currently sits second in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers after 5 rounds, with 4 wins and 1 loss. Notably, their only defeat was a 0-4 loss to Malaysia in the first leg at Bukit Jalil in June 2025.
However, the group’s landscape shifted significantly after FIFA confirmed that the Malaysian Football Association used ineligible naturalized players. Specifically, in matches against Nepal and Vietnam, Malaysia was found to have fielded multiple players with fake documents. After FIFA imposed sanctions and rejected FAM’s appeal, Malaysia further appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Playing at Thien Truong provides Xuan Son with a significant advantage as Vietnam faces Malaysia.
If CAS upholds FIFA’s ruling, AFC will have grounds to penalize Malaysia with 0-3 losses for the offending matches, drastically altering Group F’s standings. The final decision is expected from AFC by late March or early April, before the final list of 24 teams for the 2027 Asian Cup is confirmed.
Still, before the AFC’s decision arrives, Vietnam must focus fully on beating Malaysia at Thien Truong. In the March training camp, coach Kim Sang-sik is likely to summon young players from the U23 squad such as Trung Kien, Nhat Minh, Xuan Bac, Dinh Bac, along with naturalized players and the strong comeback of Xuan Son.
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