Malaysia U23 declares they will not 'park the bus' against Vietnam U23, but the coach hints at a surprise.

Malaysia U.23 only needed a draw, but…

According to the New Straits Times , a draw against Vietnam U23 would secure both teams a place in the semi-finals. Malaysia U23 also has the advantage of finishing top of the group and facing the Philippines U23 in the next round, while also eliminating their rivals Indonesia U23 from the SEA Games 33 early. Furthermore, a draw would also see Vietnam U23 and host nation Thailand U23 face off in the semi-finals.

U.23 Malaysia tuyên bố không ‘dựng xe buýt’ trước U.23 Việt Nam, HLV lại úp mở điều bất ngờ- Ảnh 1. — The U23 Malaysia team is putting on a show. They still have a strong squad at their disposal.

Therefore, it is likely that the U23 Malaysia team will choose a cautious strategy of tight defense, even "parking the bus" to protect their goal against a very strong attacking U23 Vietnam team. In doing so, they hope to achieve a desired draw.

However, according to the New Straits Times , recent polls among Malaysian U.23 players revealed that most denied any intention of playing in a "parking the bus" style.

However, coach Nafuzi Zain hinted: "Remember, the Vietnam U23 team is very strong. From the Southeast Asian U23 Championship until now, they have shown their class. We know they are superior to us in many areas, but the important thing is how we play and how we prepare."

According to coach Nafuzi Zain: "The Vietnam U23 team is a much stronger and more experienced opponent compared to the Laos team we beat 4-1. Therefore, our preparation for this match will be very different. Our goal is always to win and get three points. At the very least, we must not lose – that alone would be enough to get us into the semi-finals. We are preparing very thoroughly for this match."

U.23 Malaysia tuyên bố không ‘dựng xe buýt’ trước U.23 Việt Nam, HLV lại úp mở điều bất ngờ- Ảnh 2. — Vietnam U23 will have to put in their best effort, as Malaysia U23 has shown they are a very unpredictable opponent.

The New Straits Times revealed that coach Nafuzi Zain also intends to play an aggressive attacking game against Vietnam U23 from the start or at certain points, hoping to score a goal. After that, they will play a solid defensive game.

The coach will also make many tactical changes compared to the match against Laos U23, because the quality of the squad and the cunning of the Vietnamese U23 players are completely different.

The U23 Malaysia team will have two key players to face U23 Vietnam and execute their plan: the return of captain and defender Ubaidullah Shamsul to further strengthen their defense, and the return of attacking midfielder Aliff Izwan Yuslan, who has been training for the past two days.

These two players could bring creativity and breakthroughs to the U23 Malaysia team's playing style. They are only missing striker Fergus Tierney, who has not yet been granted permission by his club to join the national team. Similarly, striker Haqimi Azim Rosli has returned to Kuala Lumpur following the death of his stepfather. Both players will rejoin the U23 Malaysia team if they advance to the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, for the first time since the 33rd SEA Games, the acting president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), Yusoff Mahadi, spoke out, declaring his belief that coach Nafuzi Zain's team would pull off an upset victory against Vietnam U23 to secure a place in the semi-finals as group B winners.

"We are facing a highly reputable opponent at the SEA Games, and I still believe they can advance to the next round and bring glory to the country. We believe that Nafuzi has the best plan to 'trap' the Vietnam U23 team."

"It's important that the players give their all and adhere to tactical discipline throughout the 90 minutes. I hope they will play without fear. Confidence and teamwork are crucial," FAM Acting President Yusoff Mahadi said in an interview with Arena Metro (Malaysia) on December 10.