Malaysian Newspaper: 'Win the Southeast Asian Championship to Settle the Score with Vietnam'

Malaysian media is vigorously urging the young players to reclaim the "debt" from the heavy 0-4 loss in the group stage, while also hoping the home team will end their seven-year title drought.

The final match of the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship between Malaysia and Vietnam has become the hottest focal point in regional football. Following a convincing 3-0 victory over the rising Laos team in the semifinals, the confidence of Malaysian fans and media has returned stronger than ever.

Makan Bola and several major newspapers in Kuala Lumpur are unanimously urging coach Shukor Adan and his squad to restore their honor after the severe defeat in the group stage.

In the opening match of Group A, the Malaysian U17 team suffered a "cold shower" by losing to the Vietnamese U17 team with a decisive 0-4 score. That defeat had previously subjected coach Shukor Adan's troops to heavy criticism.

However, Makan Bola emphasized that from that adversity, the team has transformed to secure a spot in the final: "The spotlight is now on the Malaysian U17 team as they aim for the championship, and also wish to 'settle the debt' of the loss against Vietnam. We lost 0-4 in the opening match, but now is the time for revenge".

The morale boost from the 3-0 victory over Laos, with goals scored by Yusof Nasrullah and Aniq Thaqif, has made Malaysia significantly more confident. The country's media believes the playing style of the "Malayan Tigers" has become much more balanced and disciplined compared to the early stages of the tournament.

The significance of this year's final also lies in history. This is the first time in seven years that Malaysian youth football has featured in the Southeast Asian championship final, since their title win in 2019 after defeating Thailand.

Malaysian media considers this the "golden moment" to reaffirm their position: "The victory over Laos ended a seven-year wait to return to the final match. This is our chance to ascend to the top podium as the 2019 generation once did".

Despite full determination, Malaysian media also expressed caution regarding the resilience of the Vietnamese U17 team. They particularly noted the impressive comeback by coach Roland's squad against the reigning champion Australia. Vietnam's unwavering response after conceding an early goal and securing victory through goals by Manh Cuong and Nguyen Luc shows that the opponent is a tightly cohesive unit.

The grand battle to determine the champion will take place at 7:30 PM on April 24 (Vietnam time) at Gelora Delta Stadium, Indonesia. This is not only a match for the championship, but also a tactical duel between two strategists, Shukor Adan and Cristiano Roland, where one side thirsts to reclaim honor, while the other aims to assert their absolute dominance in the region.