Malaysia's coach is confused over the 0-3 forfeit ruling

The head coach of Johor Darul Ta'zim club hopes AFF will promptly resolve matters concerning the delayed game, with the Malaysian side getting ready for the decisive clash against Thep Xanh Nam Dinh in the Shopee Cup.

According to NST, the match between Thep Xanh Nam Dinh and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in the final round of Group B at the Shopee Cup 2025/26 has drawn significant attention, not only because it determines the group leader but also due to issues related to the Southeast Asian Football Federation’s (AFF) management. Ahead of the game at Thien Truong Stadium, JDT’s head coach Xisco Munoz expressed his desire for clarity from the tournament organizers.

Currently, Nam Dinh leads Group B with 12 points, while JDT is just two points behind. The Malaysian team only needs a draw to advance to the Shopee Cup semifinals, but Coach Munoz insists their goal is to win and finish top of the group. However, the Spanish coach admits he is finding it difficult to accurately assess the group’s situation.

According to Coach Xisco Munoz, the confusion stems from AFF postponing the match between PKR Svay Rieng and Bangkok United, leaving other teams uncertain about how the final result will be handled. “There is confusion after the match involving the Cambodian and Thai clubs was not played. Will Svay Rieng be awarded a 3-0 win because their opponent did not show up, or was the match postponed? We don’t know the outcome. Perhaps the organizers have a solution to this,” Munoz shared.

The JDT coach emphasized that this lack of clarity directly affects the competition for rankings in Group B of the Shopee Cup 2025/26. “We want clarification because our match against the Vietnamese club will decide the second-place ranking, while the Cambodian and Thai clubs have a postponed game in hand. We don’t know how it will end,” he added.

Beyond the off-field issues, the sporting aspect of the match is also noteworthy as Nguyen Xuan Son is the focal point. The Nam Dinh striker has scored 7 goals, leading the Shopee Cup 2025/26 top scorer chart and is expected to pose a significant challenge to JDT’s defense.

Regarding the upcoming match, Coach Munoz said JDT will make personnel adjustments due to a tight schedule. “Of course, there will be some player rotations against the Vietnamese club because they have quality players… I expect a high-intensity match and we need to be cautious of some Vietnamese players who play at a fast pace,” he confirmed. According to NST, the showdown at Thien Truong will not only decide the standings in Group B of the Shopee Cup 2025/26 but also serve as an important test for both teams’ ambitions in the next phase.