Korean media points out a 'ripple' for the Vietnam national team ahead of the match against Malaysia

South Korean media highly appreciate Vietnam's 22-match unbeaten streak under coach Kim Sang Sik, but note that finishing ability remains a "ripple" that needs to be addressed before the two ASEAN Championship 2026 semi-final matches against Malaysia.

South Korea's Asia Today recently published an article titled: "Kim Sang Sik's Vietnam maintains unbeaten streak, 'ripple' is finishing ability."

According to the South Korean newspaper, the Vietnam national team currently holds a 22-match unbeaten streak in internationals, but coach Kim Sang Sik still has puzzles to solve, especially in capitalizing on chances and choosing the starting lineup.

Asia Today cites Vietnamese media assessments that although Vietnam advanced through the group stage undefeated and showed the strength of the defending champions, the performance of coach Kim Sang Sik's team has not been truly perfect.

Finishing ability is considered a notable problem. In the match against Singapore, Vietnam could not break through the opponent's defense and had to accept a 0-0 draw. In the match against Cambodia, Vietnam controlled 75% of possession, made 16 shots, but still struggled to convert their advantage into goals.

Besides the finishing puzzle, coach Kim Sang Sik also has a "pleasant headache" regarding personnel. Asia Today specifically mentions Le Pham Thanh Long, who impressed with his ball recovery, game control, and chance creation.

The form of Thanh Long and some other players forces coach Kim Sang Sik to weigh between the usual regulars and those who are performing well in the tournament.

Ahead of the clash with Malaysia, South Korean media still assess Vietnam as having the upper hand. In the last 12 meetings between the two teams, Vietnam has won 10, drawn 1, and lost only 1. In March, coach Kim Sang Sik's team also defeated Malaysia 3-1 in the Asian Cup qualifiers.

Another statistic noted by Asia Today is Vietnam's fair play. After 4 matches, coach Kim Sang Sik's players have committed only 24 fouls, averaging 6 per game, the lowest in the tournament.

The Vietnam national team will face Malaysia in the first leg of the semi-finals in Kuala Lumpur on August 16, before returning to Hanoi for the second leg on August 19.

With the goal of defending the title, improving the ability to take chances is considered one of the important tasks for coach Kim Sang Sik's team ahead of the two decisive matches.