HANOI (20 August 2026) – Vietnam will face Thailand in the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 final with substitute Nguyễn Xuân Son scoring twice to earn his side a 2-0 victory over Malaysia in the second leg of the semi-final in Hanoi on Wednesday that secured a 4-0 aggregate win for the defending champions.
Xuân Son netted in the 62nd minute to break Malaysia’s resistance before hitting the second a minute from time to close out the victory for Kim Sang-sik’s side, who had won 2-0 in the first leg in Kuala Lumpur and will next face the Thais in a re-run of the 2024 final.
“The performance today was better than in the first game,” said Kim. “We had a meeting after the first game and because of that we did better. We only had one day’s rest so it was hard to prepare for the game today.
“Two years ago, we were champions when we won in Thailand and I’m very happy we have reached the final again.”
A sell-out crowd packed into the Mỹ Đình National Stadium and Vietnam flew out of the blocks with Nguyễn Đình Bắc released down the right seconds after kick-off to deliver a cross towards the far post that Phan Tuấn Tài flashed across the face of goal.
Đình Bắc shot wide soon after and Đoàn Văn Hậu’s 10th minute header was blocked on the line by Malaysia goalkeeper Azri Ghani as the home side sought as early as possible to add to their two-goal advantage.
Azri repeatedly frustrated the Vietnamese, pulling off a flying save to deny Đình Bắc as the Vietnam striker looked destined to find the top corner from distance at the halfway point in the opening period.
Văn Hậu’s effort was rebuffed by another Azri save while Nguyễn Quang Hải’s attempt from distance was also palmed to safety as the irritation grew for Kim’s side.
Another Vietnamese attack a minute from the interval should have yielded the opener, with Quang Hải sliding the ball into the path of Đỗ Hoàng Hên, but he somehow clipped his left-foot shot on the run wide of Azri’s right post.
The onslaught threatened to continue immediately after the interval with Đình Bắc’s header tipped over the bar by Azri and Kim subsequently introduced Xuân Son in an effort to find a way past the stubborn Malaysian goalkeeper.
In the 62nd minute, that move paid off to the immense delight of the home crowd when the Brazil-born striker pounced on the ball after Trương Tiến Anh’s initial shot had been blocked by the defence.
Azri was on hand again to prevent Xuân Son from registering his second with a sprawling save to his right but there was little the Malaysians could do about Xuân Son’s second.
The striker powered down the left and cut inside to beat the goalkeeper once again for his fifth goal of the tournament, tying Đình Bắc as the joint leading goalscorer with the final to play.
The ASEAN Hyundai Cup™, the jewel in the crown of ASEAN football, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
The Hyundai Player of the Match award winner is:
Vietnam (VIE) v Malaysia (MAS) – Nguyễn Xuân Son (#12), Vietnam
FINAL FIXTURES
Saturday, August 22, Final, Leg 1
Thailand (THA) v Vietnam (VIE), Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, 8pm (local time) / 1pm (GMT)
Wednesday, August 26, Final, Leg 2
Vietnam (VIE) v Thailand (THA), Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, 8pm (local time) / 1pm (GMT)
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