V-League player expected by Malaysian media to defeat Vietnam national team

Malaysian press believes Endrick Dos Santos will be the key to helping their team defeat Vietnam due to his familiarity with V-League.

Malaysian media is paying significant attention to Endrick Dos Santos ahead of the match against Vietnam. The midfielder currently playing for CA TP.HCM is expected to become the "key" to helping Malaysia secure a victory, despite the team no longer having a chance to compete for a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

Following AFC's penalty which resulted in Malaysia forfeiting two matches, the remaining goal for the yellow-shirted team is to achieve a positive result against Vietnam to restore honor. Therefore, players familiar with the opponent like Dos Santos are receiving great trust from the country's media ahead of the match scheduled for March 31.

The Star even emphasized Dos Santos's advantage of "inside information." According to expert assessments, the 31-year-old midfielder not only has experience playing in V-League but also contributed significantly to Malaysia's previous 4-0 victory over Vietnam, thanks to his ability to read the game and connect play effectively.

His understanding of Vietnamese players is considered a prominent strength of Dos Santos. Playing in the Vietnamese football environment helps him grasp the strengths and weaknesses of many opponents, thereby assisting teammates in implementing tactics and seeking scoring opportunities.

Before the match, Dos Santos shared: "Representing Malaysia has always been an honor, and I am very happy to be called up to the national team. Like everyone here, I am very sad about what happened. But as professional players, we put everything aside and focus on representing the country as best as possible and trying to bring joy to the fans."

Additionally, this midfielder also praised factors on the Vietnamese side, particularly Nguyễn Xuân Son and Hendrio Araujo: "Nguyễn Xuân Son has returned to the Vietnam national team, and we all know about his scoring ability both at club and national team levels. Meanwhile, Hendrio Araujo (Đỗ Hoàng Hên) is also a skilled creative midfielder, so it will be interesting to compete with him in the midfield." With these assessments, Dos Santos is expected to continue playing a pivotal role in this fateful rematch.