Vietnam beat Malaysia 2:0 at the My Dinh National Stadium in the semi-finals of the AFF Championship on August 19th. The hosts took control with two second-half strikes from Rafaelson to advance to the final. Malaysia arrived having lost 2:0 to Vietnam just three days earlier, but could not find a response this time either.
Rafaelson opened the scoring in the 62nd minute, finishing one of Vietnam's seven big chances. He collected a yellow card five minutes later, perhaps a sign of his involvement. The second goal came in the 89th minute, and by then the match was already decided. Malaysia's keeper managed seven saves but could only watch from distance.
To be fair, Malaysia had more possession at 52 per cent, yet they created just two big chances compared to Vietnam's seven. The visitors attempted 18 crosses but completed only two, while Vietnam's 17 crosses yielded eight successful deliveries. And here's the thing about football — pressure matters more than passing triangles when the game is on the line.
Vietnam registered 21 shots on target in total, with 10 on target and 11 off. Malaysia managed four shots on target from 14 attempts. The hosts made 18 clearances and won 14 of 25 aerial duels. Malaysia's goalkeeper had more work, making seven saves to Vietnam's four. The statistics tell you what the eye already saw: Malaysia dominated possession without purpose.
This victory extends Vietnam's unbeaten run to five matches and puts them in the final of the tournament. Malaysia's recent form had been inconsistent — a win against the Philippines followed by a loss to Thailand. The hosts, meanwhile, have now beaten Malaysia twice in eight days. The final awaits, and Vietnam will want to carry this momentum through.