Malaysia only trained with 16 players before facing the Vietnam team.

The heat of the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup semifinals is rising as the first leg encounter between Malaysia and Vietnam approaches at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras on August 16.

Malaysia, the Group B runners-up, is expected to face a difficult match against defending champions Vietnam in their journey to secure a spot in the regional tournament final.

According to the latest training session of the Malaysian team recorded by Astro Arena reporter Faizal Bazari, the team led by interim coach Tan Cheng Hoe resumed training but with only 16 players.

"Some key players are forced to miss due to injuries," Faizal Bazari stated on X.

Previously, Malaysia was confirmed to have lost three key players—Endrick Dos Santos, Jimmy Raymond, and Engku Nur Shakir Engku Yacob—due to injuries sustained in the previous group stage match.

The personnel situation of the Malaysian team is becoming a worrying concern ahead of the clash with Vietnam. In the latest training session, interim coach Tan Cheng Hoe had only 16 players on the field as some members rested due to injuries.

The Malaysian team has confirmed the loss of three players: Endrick Dos Santos, Jimmy Raymond, and Engku Nur Shakir Engku Yacob. Among them, Endrick's case is more notable. The midfielder suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury, confirmed by MRI results, and must temporarily rest to focus on treatment.

Malaysian players are highly determined as they have the home advantage in the first leg of the semifinal. Photo: FAM

The depleted squad makes coach Tan Cheng Hoe's task even harder as Malaysia prepares to host defending champions Vietnam in the first leg of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup semifinal. The Malaysian team in this tournament features many young players, and the coach previously admitted that the team still needs improvement after a 0-2 loss to Thailand in the group stage.

On the other side, Coach Kim Sang Sik's Vietnam team enters the semifinal with an impressive record, scoring 13 goals in four group stage matches and conceding only once.

At 4:45 PM this afternoon, the Vietnam team will have their final training session at My Dinh National Stadium before traveling to Malaysia tomorrow afternoon, August 13, to prepare for the first leg semifinal against host Malaysia.