Malaysia's national football team coach, Tan Cheng Hoe, has voiced his respect for the Vietnamese team as they prepare for their third-place match in the FIFA ASEAN Cup on October 5, 2026, at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia. Despite acknowledging Vietnam's strengths, the Malaysian team, known as Harimau Malaya, is determined to secure a victory.

Coach Tan Cheng Hoe stated, "Vietnam is one of the strongest teams in Southeast Asia. They have brought a very strong squad here, and we always respect them." He added that his players are mentally prepared to face Vietnam, hoping for a positive outcome for Malaysia.

Tan noted Vietnam's quick transition capabilities but expressed confidence in his team's quality, stating, "I believe my players will control the match well. We are fully confident and focused on the upcoming third-place match. This game will be very different from our previous encounters." In their last meeting during the Southeast Asian Championship, Vietnam defeated Malaysia in both semi-final legs with a score of 2-0.

However, the Vietnamese team will be without Xuân Son, who scored three goals for them in the last ASEAN Cup semi-finals due to injury. Meanwhile, Malaysia appears to have strengthened their squad with several naturalized players and has not conceded any goals in the group stage, scoring a total of nine goals.

Coach Tan Cheng Hoe emphasized the need for his players to capitalize on opportunities against Vietnam, urging them to play sharply. He concluded, "We want to perform well in the upcoming match and continue the good results that the Malaysian team has achieved in this tournament so far."