Malaysian newspaper praises Vietnam U23 for outstanding level

In the wake of their commanding victory in the second round of Group D at the U23 Asian Cup 2024, Vietnam's U23 squad drew acclaim not just from fans and media at home but also from the Malaysian press itself.

The New Straits Times recognized Vietnam's superiority in skill and teamwork in their match report, illustrating the extent of Vietnam's commendable performance.

"Vietnam, who beat Kuwait 3-1 in their opening match, were just too good for the Malaysians," the report said.

It said Vietnam "showed better teamwork and pace than Malaysia," and again, "proved that they are far ahead of their ASEAN rivals in football development."

For Malaysia, this defeat dashed any hopes of advancing further in the U23 competition, compounding the disappointment from their earlier 2-0 loss to Uzbekistan.

During the match, the Malaysian team struggled to capitalize on their opportunities, a deficiency starkly highlighted against the disciplined and effective play of the Vietnamese side.

The match's turning point came in the 39th minute with Khuat Van Khang's free-kick, a 25-meter strike that broke the deadlock. Vo Hoang Minh Khoa's penalty in the second half, awarded after a foul on Nguyen Hoang, sealed the victory for Vietnam.

Contrasting the 3-1 victory over Kuwait, Vietnam's coach Hoang Anh Tuan expressed complete satisfaction with his team's performance against Malaysia. Praising the players' technical skills and the deserved ness of the win, Tuan highlighted the match as a true representation of Vietnam's quality and rightful victory.

This win not only propels Vietnam into the quarterfinals of the U23 Asian Cup ahead of the final group stage match but also sets the stage for a crucial showdown with Uzbekistan to determine the group winner.

With both teams currently level on points but Uzbekistan leading on goal difference following their emphatic 5-0 win over Kuwait, the upcoming match on April 23 promises to be a decisive battle for top spot.