Hanoi (VNA) – Regional media have hailed striker Nguyen Xuan Son as the key factor behind Vietnam’s 4–0 aggregate victory over Malaysia in the ASEAN Cup 2026 semifinals after his brace secured a 2–0 win in the second leg and sent the defending champions into the final.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website particularly highlighted head coach Kim Sang Sik’s decision to bring Son on in the 60th minute.
“Substitute Nguyen Xuan Son scored in the 62nd and 89th minutes as Vietnam finally found a way past goalkeeper Azri Ghani, who gave the Malaysians hope of an unlikely comeback with a performance that frustrated the home side throughout the clash at My Dinh Stadium”, it said.
AFC noted that Malaysia goalkeeper Azri had produced an impressive performance, making several saves in the first half. However, Son’s introduction proved decisive, helping Vietnam break through Malaysia’s defensive setup.
Malaysian media also focused on the Vietnamese striker. Stadium Astro described Son as the player who ended Malaysia’s hopes of reaching the Southeast Asian championship final for the first time in nearly a decade. He scored three goals across the two semifinal legs, helping Vietnam secure a 4–0 aggregate victory.
Bharian said the turning point came when Son entered the game, with his physical strength and finishing ability posing major problems for Malaysia’s defence. Meanwhile, New Straits Times said Malaysia could still take pride in its run to the semifinals despite the defeat.
Vietnam’s victory sets up a third consecutive ASEAN Cup final against Thailand. Thai media have paid particular attention to Son’s form, identifying him as one of the biggest threats to the Thai team.
Siamsport said Son quickly made an impact after coming on and had become a major concern for Thailand ahead of the two-legged final. Thairath noted that this year’s showdown will be a repeat of the 2024 ASEAN Cup final, when Vietnam won 5–3 on aggregate.
In the Republic of Korea, Chosun Biz praised head coach Kim following the victory over Malaysia. The newspaper said that if Kim leads Vietnam to victory over Thailand in the two-legged final, he will become the first coach to guide Vietnam to a successful defence of the ASEAN Cup title.
The first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 final between Vietnam and Thailand will take place at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on August 22, and the second leg is scheduled for Vietnam on August 26./.
