Vietnamese footballers have promised to devote all their strength and will play the second-leg semifinal game with Malaysia in Hanoi today after their drawback of slumping to 2-0 loss three days ago in the first leg.
Vietnam's coach Henrique Calisto
More optimistically, the hosts Vietnam will have the return of key players as Tai Em, Viet Cuong, Trong Hoang, and Quang Thanh who missed the first leg encounter in Kuala Lumpur for injuries and cards.
The injured Viet Cuong said, “I asked permission of coach [Henrique Calisto] to play the decisive game after my injury has well recovered,”
“Now I can well dribble, shoot and jump up for the ball,” he assured the coach.
Cuong was the first selection of the Portuguese coach for the right-back position at the group-stage competition of the tournament.
The other injured, the midfielder Tai Em also wishes to be included in the starting line-up of Vietnam today.
With Tai Em to play defensively, midfielder Minh Phuong will become “liberated” for attending attacks and launching dangerous counterattacks. Phuong will also be assisted by Trong Hoang in the central places of the midfield.
On the other side, Malaysian coach Krishnasamy Rajagobal said confidently his side will secure a place to play the final match.
"We have no injuries, all the players are ready for selection and we know it's going to be another tough match," AFF quoted the former Selangor coach.
"I know Vietnam very well and they will be coming out aggressively, they know they have to get a result and though we have a two-goal cushion I'm optimistic that this is the best chance for my team to get a result.
"We will play our game plan and we need to be focused throughout the entire 90 minutes."
Vietnam’s coach Calisto announced briefly, “If Malaysians can score two games in Kuala Lumpur, so can Vietnamese be in Hanoi.”
"We will score early goals."