Malaysia arrives in Ninh Binh, awaiting challenge from Vietnam national team

The Malaysia national team arrived in Vietnam last evening on March 28 and immediately moved to Ninh Binh, entering the final preparation phase for their match against the Vietnam national team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

From their training location in Bangkok, coach Peter Cklamovski and his team flew to Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) after their afternoon training session on March 28.

However, due to luggage issues, it was after 22:00 PM that the coaching staff and Malaysian players finally left Noi Bai Airport to board vehicles heading directly to Ninh Binh.

Since the travel occurred at night, the Malaysian players took the opportunity to have a light meal with bread right after disembarking, while waiting for their luggage.

All 51 members of the Malaysia national team, including 28 players who just completed training in Thailand, flew to Vietnam.

Despite the absence of 7 ineligible naturalized players and having lost the chance to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals after AFC ruled losses against Vietnam and Nepal as 0-3, the coaching staff and Malaysian players still aim to prove themselves in the "honor match" on March 31 at Thiên Trường Stadium.

Before departing for Vietnam, Malaysia national team goalkeeper Muhammad Azri Abdul Ghani stated that the inclusion of young teammate Haziq Aiman Mohd Esa is a positive sign ahead of the final Group F match against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

According to Azri, adding the 21-year-old goalkeeper not only strengthens the squad but also fosters healthy competition among the team's four goalkeepers, including Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed and Muhammad Haziq Nadzli.

"I hope whoever is selected to play will give their utmost to help the team face Vietnam," Azri shared in a video provided by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to the media.

Azri also praised the progress of the young goalkeeper from Melaka FC, considering it a positive signal for Haziq Aiman's future.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam national team has already secured qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup finals by leading Group F with 15 points, ahead of Malaysia (9 points). Laos and Nepal are respectively third and fourth with 3 points each.

The opportunity for Malaysia to qualify for the Asian Cup for the second consecutive time has vanished, following the team's point deduction by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Previously, the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee determined that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) violated Article 56 of the Disciplinary Code by using ineligible players in two qualifying matches against Nepal and Vietnam.