OFFICIAL: Vietnam National Team Secures Ticket to Asian Cup Finals

With Malaysia being penalized with a 0-3 loss in both matches against Nepal and Vietnam, the Vietnam National Team has officially secured a ticket to the Asian Cup Finals.

After 5 matches in Group F of the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup, the Vietnam national team has earned 12 points with a goal difference of +6, temporarily ranking second. Meanwhile, Malaysia leads with 15 points and a goal difference of +14, creating a certain advantage before the final match. Therefore, the competition for the top spot in the group has not officially concluded.

However, according to AFC's decision, the Malaysian national team has been penalized with losses in two matches that have already taken place, including the match against Nepal on March 25, 2025 and the match against the Vietnam national team on June 10, 2025. Based on Article 25.1 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code, Malaysia was penalized with a 0-3 loss in both matches due to using players who did not meet eligibility requirements, regardless of the actual results previously achieved on the field.

The adjustment of results leads to significant changes in points and technical indicators in Group F. Accordingly, Malaysia, from the leading position with a perfect record (15 points after 5 matches), loses 6 points, retaining 9 points, while its goal difference drops from +14 to +2 (scored 9 goals, conceded 7 goals). Meanwhile, the Vietnam national team gains an additional 3-0 win in the direct confrontation, thereby raising its total points to 15 points, and improving its goal difference from +6 to +13 (14 goals scored, 1 goal conceded), rising to the top of Group F with a perfect record after 5 matches.

Thus, the return match between the Vietnam National Team and Malaysia is now merely procedural, as the scenario for Group F in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers has officially been settled. The Vietnam National Team has a perfect record after 5 matches with 15 points, while Malaysia, originally with 15 points, loses 6 points and retains only 9 points.

According to the schedule, in the final match taking place on March 31, 2026 at Thien Truong Stadium (Ninh Binh), the Vietnam national team will host Malaysia. Although it no longer determines the final ranking, the match is still expected to be a noteworthy contest, meaningful for accumulating points on the FIFA rankings, maintaining form, and preparing for the journey at the 2027 Asian Cup Finals.

In addition to professional penalties, the Malaysian Football Association was also fined by the AFCUSD 50,000and must complete the payment obligation within 30 days from the date of receiving the notification, as stipulated in Article 11.3 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code.

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