Unbelievable good news for the Malaysian team ahead of the crucial match against Nam Dinh

Following the surprising ruling from CAS to delay the sanctions, Johor Darul Ta'zim will be able to field their trio of naturalized stars in the critical group stage "final" against Nam Dinh FC.

Southeast Asian football has just experienced a major shock when The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) officially issued a decision to temporarily suspend the sanctions against seven Malaysian naturalized players.

This move felt like a "rainstorm in a drought" for the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and especially for Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT). With this ruling, Malaysia's strongest club can use the trio of stars Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel in their direct confrontation with Vietnam’s Nam Dinh Club in the final group stage match of the Shopee Cup 2025/26.

Before CAS intervened, these players had been banned by FIFA from all football activities for 12 months due to controversies involving forged naturalization documents to play for Malaysia’s national team. However, while awaiting the final appeal decision, they were allowed to return to the pitch.

The presence of this trio, especially Brazilian-born striker Joao Figueiredo, brings a huge threat to Nam Dinh’s defense. Before the penalty was imposed, Figueiredo proved his "killer" value by scoring 3 goals in just 2 matches, playing a key role in JDT’s overwhelming victories over strong teams like Bangkok United and Lion City Sailors.

Additionally, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel are also crucial tactical players who make Malaysia’s team play far more versatile and solid.

Up to now, Nam Dinh remains the only team with a flawless record in Group B, earning 9 points from 3 matches. Coach Mauro Jeronimo’s team boasts an explosive offense, especially with the strong comeback of Nguyen Xuan Son. This naturalized striker has scored 5 goals in just 2 recent matches, becoming the top hope for the Nam Dinh fans.

However, the unexpected addition of 3 quality naturalized foreign players to JDT right before the match on February 5th makes the group standings more unpredictable than ever. The gap between Nam Dinh (9 points) and JDT (7 points) is now just 2 points. This means the upcoming match will be a do-or-die battle to decide the top spot and the ticket to the semifinals.

Striker Nguyen Van Toan confidently shared: “Currently, Nam Dinh is leading the group, and we have every reason to aim for the semifinals. The team has a great chance to advance, especially with two home matches left. Everyone understands that reaching the knockout stage is mandatory, and we are all fully determined to achieve that goal.”

The big match at Thien Truong next February will certainly be a tough test for Nam Dinh’s continental ambitions, as they face a fired-up Malaysian "giant" reinforced by recently cleared international players.