Commentator Quang Huy: 'Vietnam's national team asserts its position through actual strength rather than AFC rulings'

BLV Vu Quang Huy acknowledges that Vietnam's national team will strive to the utmost, aiming for a direct victory over Malaysia's national team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers to demonstrate capability, despite the legal advantage stemming from the opponent's violations.

* Sports & Culture: Court The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the extremely severe disciplinary penalty against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) following the incident involving 7 naturalized players. What is your view on this issue?

- BLV Vu Quang Huy: The incident of 7 illegally naturalized players is a heavy blow to Malaysia's football development strategy. After thorough review, CAS dismissed the appeal, maintaining FIFA's 12-month playing ban on these players. Instead of pursuing costly and low-hope legal procedures, Malaysian football should choose to face reality.

Observers believe that, based on CAS's ruling, the disciplinary penalties against FAM, Malaysia's national team, and the 7 players will not only be enforced at that level but will also be applied within the continental and international football system. Malaysian media also worry that AFC might not only award default losses to Malaysia in the two matches against Vietnam and Nepal in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers but impose even heavier penalties, such as Malaysia's national team being excluded from the 2027 Asian Cup campaign or banned from future international competitions.

This decision marks the end of appeal efforts and plunges Malaysia's national team into a severe crisis in personnel and performance just before important tournaments.

* Clearly, Malaysian football is facing the scenario of being removed from the 2027 Asian Cup campaign and banned from subsequent tournaments to set an example against fraudulent documentation practices?

- One of the most direct consequences is the alteration of match results in the qualifiers. According to AFC regulations, if a team uses invalid players, all related results will be annulled. Malaysia's national team is likely to be awarded 0-3 losses in matches against Vietnam and Nepal. This not only strips Malaysia's points but completely disrupts the current group standings.

In the context of the opponent being in chaos and losing credibility, fans expect Coach Kim Sang Sik and his team to seize the opportunity well to win the return match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers on March 31, 2026, reclaiming the debt from the first leg. This confrontation now carries not only professional significance but also tests Malaysia's resilience amid the "storm center" of the incident.

Besides penalties at the national team level, Malaysia's domestic league is also shaking. The clubs managing these offending players may face point deductions or match result annulments. Lack of transparency from FAM's highest management has inadvertently pushed the entire football system into difficulty, eroding fan and investor trust.

Overall, Malaysian football is paying a high price for strategic mistakes. Transparency and honesty are reaffirmed as irreplaceable core values in professional sports. The final decision from AFC's Disciplinary Committee in the near future will officially clarify Malaysian football's next steps on the continental map.

* Ignoring Malaysian football's troubles, Coach Kim Sang Sik and his team aim for a direct victory in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers to prove capability, despite the legal advantage from the opponent's violations?

- The match between Vietnam's national team and Malaysia on March 31 is considered by experts as the "deciding knot" for the ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup finals. To prepare for this major battle, Vietnam's national team will have a crucial test against Bangladesh on March 26 at home. This is an opportunity for the coaching staff to finalize personnel options and assemble the lineup.

Coach Kim Sang Sik is reportedly planning a special strategy to "pay back" the 0-4 defeat in the first leg last year. Malaysian media assesses that Vietnam's national team will not maintain its old style but will make significant adjustments in both personnel and operational systems to create surprises.

For Vietnam's national team, naturalized forward Nguyen Xuan Son is the name receiving the most expectations in leading the playstyle. Additionally, midfielder Hendrio Araujo da Silva (Do Hoang Hen) might also be part of Coach Kim Sang Sik's special tactical considerations to increase unpredictability.

Besides professional factors, the group standings await AFC's ruling as Malaysia's national team faces the risk of a default loss. If this happens, Coach Kim Sang Sik's team will possess a huge advantage to secure the advancing ticket. However, Vietnam's national team is still intensively preparing with the goal of achieving a direct victory on the pitch.

* Thus, the most important thing remains our own performance in the return match, not relying on favorable outcomes from AFC?

- It can be seen that Malaysian media is also heightening the drama of the return match. Malaysian football also signals that they want to defeat Vietnam's national team to prove that if they are eliminated due to legal issues, it is not due to poor professional level. The determined attitude from the opponent makes the upcoming match more tense and watchable than ever.

The pride of these two intertwined Southeast Asian football nations makes the match on March 31 a true test of resilience. If losing to Malaysia, even if later securing the ticket through AFC rulings, Vietnam's national team cannot avoid doubts about its real strength. A defeat on the pitch would overshadow the value of the Asian Cup ticket and leave big questions about competitiveness at the continental level.

Overall, the spirit of overcoming difficulties and the desire to assert oneself through professionalism is the only path for Coach Kim Sang Sik and his team to fully capture fans' trust. Our goal is clear: Defeat Malaysia's national team to advance with the posture of the strongest team in the group, by our own feet.

* Thank you sincerely for the conversation!