Vietnam has secured a commanding lead over Malaysia in the ASEAN Championship semi-final, winning the first leg 2-0 in Kuala Lumpur. The defending champions took advantage of their opponents, with Brazilian-born striker Nguyen Xuan Son scoring the opening goal in the first half. The Vietnamese team faced early pressure from Malaysia but managed to overcome it, with Son's stunning diving header giving them the lead.
The team received a reprieve when a red card shown to goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang was rescinded after a review. Kim Sang-sik's side then added a crucial second goal with six minutes remaining, courtesy of an own goal by Malaysian left-back Faris Danish. This victory gives Vietnam a comfortable advantage ahead of the second leg in Hanoi on Wednesday.
Thailand is also making progress in the tournament, having won 3-1 in the first leg of their semi-final against Singapore. The return match will be played in Bangkok on Tuesday. The winner of the Vietnam-Malaysia clash will face either Thailand or Singapore in the final, which will be played on a home-and-away basis on August 22 and 26.
The outcome of the second leg will determine which team advances to the final. With their current lead, Vietnam is in a strong position to defend their title. However, Malaysia still has a chance to turn the tables in the return match.
Malaysian left-back Faris Danish almost made amends for his own goal with a goal-bound strike in the dying seconds, but Vietnamese goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang made an acrobatic save to deny him. This save ensured that Vietnam maintained their two-goal lead going into the second leg.
