Unusual move by Malaysia's national team ahead of the rematch against Vietnam

Just over a month before the crucial rematch with Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Malaysia’s national team has unexpectedly fallen into an almost complete “silence.”

Keeping all preparation plans confidential

According to NST reports, the secretive atmosphere emerged immediately after FIFA imposed sanctions on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players accused of forging documents to qualify for the national team.

Since then, all activities related to the Malaysian team have been restricted from public disclosure. Head coach Peter Cklamovski and the management team have hardly shared any details about training plans, squad selection, or tactics for the match against Vietnam on March 31st.

Notably, the official social media channels of the team have not posted any training or daily life photos, which is unusual compared to previous camps. This has sparked speculation that Malaysia might be quietly holding a closed training camp abroad.

Pressure from sanctions and risk of match results being annulled

Reports indicate that the seven players involved are Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, Hector Hevel, Gabriel Palmero, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, and Facundo Garces. If violations are confirmed, Malaysia risks having some previous match results overturned.

Currently, the team leads Group F with 15 points from 5 unbeaten matches, while Vietnam stands second with 12 points. However, the standings could completely change if Malaysia’s wins are forfeited.

The final decision will depend on rulings from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Vietnam prepares openly and confidently

Also according to NST, unlike their secretive opponent, Vietnam is preparing quite transparently. Coach Kim Sang Sik is reportedly planning to call up more overseas Vietnamese players and naturalized talents such as Gustavo Sant'Ana (Đỗ Phi Long), midfielder Hendrio Araujo (Đỗ Hoàng Hên), and goalkeeper Patrik Lê Giang, alongside established stars like Nguyễn Xuân Sơn and Đặng Văn Lâm, to strengthen the squad.

In the context of Malaysia’s complete information blackout, the rematch at the end of March is expected to be a decisive turning point in the race for qualification to the 2027 Asian Cup.