Malaysia announces Vietnam team's roster: Surprisingly strong, completely different from AFF Cup

Increase quality by increasing staff

Johor Darul Tazim is the only representative of Malaysian football, 1 of 2 representatives of Southeast Asian football (the other team is Buriram United of Thailand) to enter the knockout round of AFC Champions League Elite (Asian Cup C1) season 2024-2025. The Malaysian team entered the round of 16 thanks to the achievement of defeating representatives of Korean and Chinese football in the group stage.

The Malaysian team in the Asian Cup qualifiers is very different from themselves at the AFF Cup.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

However, by the time of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, this disagreement had been resolved, and Johor Darul Tazim no longer had any reason to prevent their players from representing Malaysia. Up to 9 players from Johor Darul Tazim were called up, including goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi, defenders Matthew Davies, Shahrul Saad, La'Vere Corbin-Ong, midfielders Afiq Fazail, Natxo Insa, and strikers Romel Morales, Arif Aiman Hanapi, and Mohamadou Sumareh. All of these players have been mainstays of the Malaysian team over the past few years.

The Malaysian national team's squad for the 2027 Asian Cup third qualifying round also includes 11 naturalized players born outside Malaysia. The naturalized players called up to coach Peter Cklamovski's (Macedonian) team this time include right-back Matthew Davies (Australian origin), center-back Daniel Ting (England), Quentin Cheng (Australia), left-back La'Vere Corbin-Ong (England), midfielder Stuart Wilkin (England), Endrick (Brazil), Nooa Laine (Finland), Paulo Josué (Brazil), Natxo Insa (Spain), striker Romel Morales (Colombia) and Mohamadou Sumareh (Gambia).

Malaysia has "scout" in V-League

A few days ago, FAM announced that they would not naturalize new players who do not have Malaysian roots. However, these are old naturalized players who have had Malaysian citizenship for several years, so they are still eligible to play for the national team.

The Vietnamese team's opponent has the return of a series of key players.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

25/27 players of the Malaysian national team are currently playing in the domestic league, 2 of whom are playing abroad, including defender Dion Cools (currently playing for Buriram United, Thailand) and midfielder Endirck who is playing for Ho Chi Minh City FC in the V-League. Endrick is theoretically the person who understands Vietnamese football and Vietnamese players the most, because this midfielder plays against Vietnamese players every week.

Malaysia is the direct opponent competing for the top spot in Group F of the 3rd qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup with the Vietnamese team. In this group, only the top team will qualify for the final round of the Asian Championship. The remaining two teams in Group F, Nepal and Laos, are not highly rated.

The Malaysian team will have their opening match in the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, against Nepal on March 25. Then, on June 10, coach Peter Cklamovski's team will host the Vietnamese team at home. In the 2024 AFF Cup, while the Vietnamese team won the championship, Malaysia was eliminated right after the group stage. However, in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying round, Malaysia will be much stronger, with a series of personnel additions mentioned above.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/malaysia-cong-bo-danh-sach-dau-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-manh-den-ngo-ngang-khac-han-aff-cup-185250313140044039.htm