Truong Tien Anh: 'In the semifinals, there are no longer favorites or underdogs'

Before the trip to face Malaysia in the first leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup semifinals, defender Truong Tien Anh stated that the Vietnam team is not bothered by historical statistics. He said that when you reach the semifinals, there is no such thing as a stronger or weaker team, and the entire squad must give their opponents the highest respect.

On the afternoon of August 12, the Vietnam national team continued training at My Dinh Stadium, finalizing the last preparations before departing for Kuala Lumpur for the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semifinal against Malaysia.

Good news for coach Kim Sang Sik is that the team had all 25 players participating in the training session. Players who were not in optimal physical condition, such as Dang Van Lam and Nguyen Van Vi, were all present. Van Vi only had a minor issue and was able to train with his teammates, while center-back Bui Hoang Viet Anh had also removed the bandage on his eyelid after the injury he sustained in the win over Indonesia.

One of the issues the coaching staff is particularly concerned about is the pitch conditions in Malaysia. Since the first leg semifinal will be played on a grass field at Kuala Lumpur Stadium, the Vietnam team has taken advantage of the training sessions at My Dinh to get accustomed and practice suitable tactics.

Speaking before the training session, defender Truong Tien Anh said the players are not overly concerned with statistics or past head-to-head results.

"The statistics or the past are in the past, so the team doesn't pay much attention to them. No matter which opponent we face, we have to play, so the whole team is very focused and determined for the first leg on Malaysian soil," Tien Anh stated.

The Vietnam national team defender assessed that Malaysia will be a tough challenge, especially as coach Kim Sang Sik's side has to play away from home.

"Malaysia is a very difficult opponent, especially when playing on their home ground. The whole team must be very determined and try to bring joy to the fans.

That is also a difficulty and an advantage for Malaysia, as we have to play on a grass field. But I hope the team will adapt well and achieve a good result," Truong Tien Anh shared.

According to Tien Anh, the nature of the semifinal round makes the disparity in status between teams less meaningful. The important thing for Vietnam is to maintain focus and respect for the opponent.

"At this stage of the tournament, there is no longer any team that is considered stronger or weaker. For us, whenever we step onto the field, we always respect our opponents to compete fairly."

In addition to preparing for the pitch conditions, the defense has also been a key focus for coach Kim Sang Sik and his staff in recent training sessions. The Vietnam team has only conceded one goal in the group stage, and the coaching staff continues to reinforce the backline ahead of the two decisive matches against Malaysia.

Tien Anh revealed: "In the past 2-3 training sessions, the coach has reviewed lessons and corrected the defensive players. The guys have learned from their mistakes and hope to perform better in the upcoming matches."

Coach Kim Sang Sik now has more options for the defense. If Nguyen Van Vi or Doan Van Hau cannot play, Phan Tuan Tai can take over the left flank. Nhat Minh is also an option for the left-center-back position.

After the final training session at My Dinh, the Vietnam team will depart for Malaysia on the afternoon of August 13 to enter the direct preparation phase for the first leg of the semifinal.

With a full squad and specific preparation for the pitch conditions, Truong Tien Anh and his teammates aim to adapt quickly, minimize errors, and achieve a favorable result before returning home for the second leg.