The Vietnamese national football team, led by head coach Kim Sang-sik, has taken a commanding lead in reaching the final of the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup following a resounding away victory against Malaysia.

Vietnam defeated Malaysia 2-0 in the first leg of the tournament semifinals held yesterday (August 16) at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium in Malaysia.

Naturalized Brazilian-born forward Nguyen Xuan Son opened the scoring in the 50th minute of the first half, followed by an own goal from Malaysian defender Faris Danish in the 41st minute of the second half.

Vietnam will advance to the final even with a draw in the second leg, which is scheduled to take place on August 19 at the Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Having advanced to the semifinal knockout stage by finishing first in Group A with 3 wins and 1 draw, Vietnam extended its remarkable undefeated streak in A-matches to 23 games (20 wins and 3 draws) with the victory.

Vietnam continues to rewrite its own record for the longest consecutive undefeated streak in A-matches, surpassing its previous milestone of 18 games.

Held every two years, the Hyundai Cup determines the strongest football nation in Southeast Asia and is often referred to as the World Cup of Southeast Asia.

Formerly known by names such as the Suzuki Cup and Mitsubishi Cup, the tournament's title sponsor changed to Hyundai in celebration of its 30th anniversary.

Vietnam, the champion of the previous 2024 tournament, is aiming for consecutive titles and its fourth championship overall.

On the other side of the bracket, Thailand defeated Singapore 3-1 in the first leg of their semifinal matchup.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)