'Even without Malaysian naturalized players, they are still capable of defeating the Vietnam national team'

Following AFC's decision, the Malaysian national team was handed a 0-3 forfeit in two matches against Vietnam and Nepal in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This result officially ended the "Malayan Tigers" chances of participating in the finals, concluding their controversial journey in this campaign.

Nevertheless, the match between the Vietnam national team and Malaysia on March 31 at Thiên Trường Stadium still attracts significant attention. According to expert Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli, this is an opportunity for Malaysia to prove its true capability. Notably, he believes that even without the seven fraudulent naturalized players, the team still has the strength to secure victory against this opponent.

Speaking to Arena Metro, expert Pekan Ramli emphasized that psychological factors are the key for Malaysia at this moment. He stated that the entire team needs to put past controversies aside to focus fully on the upcoming match, while also preparing mentally to face pressure from the home crowd.

He affirmed:

“Both players and coaching staff must have a strong mindset. What has happened must be left behind, because we must be ready to confront pressure and hostility from opposing fans.” This is seen as a direct message to the players in the context of the team facing much criticism. Not stopping there, this expert continued to express expectations for the team's competitive spirit:

“I hope the players will treat it as a lesson and devote all their focus to the new match against the Vietnam national team. This is an opportunity to prove that even without those seven players, we are still capable of defeating this opponent.” According to Pekan Ramli, the most important thing now is to restore the players' confidence. He believes the current Malaysian squad still has comparable quality and the ability to make a difference, despite the Asian Cup door being nearly closed.

He concluded:

“The combination of local players and eligible heritage players can prove that, even without the seven naturalized players, we can still win against the Vietnam national team right at Thiên Trường Stadium. The team's actual level is already high. Perhaps previous mistakes have led many to doubt the team's capability. But even without using those seven players, we still have the ability to qualify for the Asian Cup. Such thinking should be maintained before this match.” Although the opponent still shows confidence, the home advantage along with

the stability of the squad gives the Vietnam national team grounds to aim for a positive result. The match is not just a formality but also an occasion for the team to assert its status, while responding to doubts with a convincing performance for the fans. The match is not just a formality but also an occasion for the team to assert its status, while responding to doubts with a convincing performance for the fans.