Vietnam's strongest lineup against Malaysia: A preemptive attacking strategy

Vietnam is approaching the home rematch against Malaysia with a determination to win, and Coach Kim Sang Sik's projected lineup is considered to be the strongest version at the moment.

Following the 3-0 victory over Bangladesh, seen as a perfect "draft", the Korean strategist is likely to continue maintaining a stable core framework while making a few notable adjustments.

In the goalkeeper position, Nguyen Filip is expected to start instead of Dang Van Lam. This is viewed as a move to increase flexibility in Vietnam's tactical execution.

The defensive line with a three-center-back formation is likely to remain unchanged to ensure solidity. The trio of Le Ngoc Bao (left side), Do Duy Manh (center), and Pham Xuan Manh (right side) performed well against Bangladesh, helping goalkeeper Van Lam keep a clean sheet, with Xuan Manh also contributing a goal. Stability in the back line is a crucial foundation for Vietnam to deploy their strategy against Malaysia.

On the two flank corridors, Doan Van Hau is predicted to start as the left wing-back after impressing when substituted in the second half of the previous match. Van Hau's ability to contribute both in attack and defense will help Vietnam gain an early advantage. On the opposite flank, Truong Tien Anh continues to be a reliable choice.

The midfield will be managed by the duo Le Pham Thanh Long and Nguyen Hoang Duc. Here, Hoang Duc plays the role of orchestrator and creator, while Thanh Long undertakes defensive support duties. In the second half, Quang Hai could be brought on to replace Hoang Duc.

In the forward line, it is likely that Nguyen Xuan Son will play as the central striker, while Do Hoang Hen and Nguyen Hai Long operate on the two wings. Notably, the duo Xuan Son – Hoang Hen is expected to start together for the first time, creating pressure from the start of the match with a preemptive attacking approach against Malaysia.

The 3-0 victory over Bangladesh showed that Vietnam is in high form, with the return of several key pillars like Dinh Trong, Van Hau, or Viet Anh. The combination of Xuan Son and Hoang Hen also brings a fresh look to the attack.

Regarding Malaysia, this team has not played since last November due to controversies related to player naturalization. Being handed a 0-3 defeat in their two most recent matches has officially eliminated them from the race, while Vietnam secured a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup Finals.

Although the match holds little significance in terms of results for Malaysia, they still bring to Vietnam a squad with several notable names aiming for a positive performance. However, given their current form and stable squad, Vietnam is assessed to have many advantages to continue securing a victory.