Malaysia considers the match against Vietnam as a matter of honor.

The upcoming match against Vietnam on March 31 now holds only symbolic significance for Malaysia.

This occurred after the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee penalized Malaysia by nullifying its previous wins against Nepal and Vietnam.

The Football Association of Malaysia violated AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code Article 56 by using an ineligible player, resulting in Malaysia being penalized with 0-3 losses in both matches.

Football analyst and former Vice President of the Malaysian Football Coaches Association, Zulakbal Abd Karim, stated that the national team's morale is currently at its lowest.

The Malaysian national team may currently be experiencing its worst phase in FAM's 100-year history since the match-fixing scandal in Liga M during the 1990s.

Fans are furious following this document forgery scandal, and the team has officially lost its chance to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

The previous victory over Vietnam was nullified, and I believe Vietnam will await Malaysia at home to punish them with a decisive win.

The Malaysian national team must rise up; the players must compete for national honor. They need to move forward and strive to conclude the campaign more honorably.

This could be the greatest test of resilience for the players. They are not responsible for this incident but still bear the pressure from the scandal.

I see this as an opportunity for them to prove their capability in this match, thereby opening better prospects in the future," he said.

According to initial results, Malaysia had defeated Nepal 2-0 at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on March 25, 2025, and defeated Vietnam 4-0 at Bukit Jalil Stadium on June 10, 2025.

However, the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee's decision shattered Malaysia's dream of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup. Previously, Malaysia had performed impressively with a winning streak and earned 15 points to lead Group F.

After being deducted 6 points, Malaysia now has only 9 points, falling to second place. More bitterly for them, the qualification spot has officially been secured by Vietnam, the "Golden Star Warriors," with 15 points and the top position in Group F.