Anwar urges Malaysia to give their all in Vietnam play-off

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged Harimau Malaya to give their best against Vietnam in Monday’s third-place play-off at the 2026 FIFA Asean Cup. Malaysia will play at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta at 5pm Malaysian time.

The match follows Malaysia’s failure to reach the final despite beating Singapore 6-0 in their last Division One Group A fixture. Indonesia advanced from the group instead and will meet Thailand for the title at the same stadium at 8pm Malaysian time.

Anwar’s message to the squad

“Fight with full spirit and give your best for the pride of the badge on your chest,” Anwar said in a Facebook post on Monday. His message came ahead of Malaysia’s afternoon meeting with Vietnam, with the national side playing for third place rather than the title.

“Malaysians are with you. Hopefully, this match will not require too much extra time,” he added. Anwar’s appeal came after a group campaign in which even a six-goal win in their final match was not enough to take Malaysia into the final.

Why Malaysia missed the final

Malaysia defeated Singapore 6-0 at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung on Thursday. It was their final Division One Group A match, but the result left them level with Indonesia on seven points rather than putting them ahead in the race for a place in the final.

The two sides also had the same goal difference of plus nine. Indonesia topped the group because they had scored 11 goals, compared with Malaysia’s nine, leaving Harimau Malaya to contest the third-place play-off despite their emphatic result against Singapore.

Indonesia secured their final berth after a 9-2 win over Bangladesh. Their opponents for the title are Thailand, who won Group B, while Malaysia’s remaining match in the tournament is against Vietnam. Both matches are scheduled for Monday at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

What happens next

Malaysia’s immediate task is the 5pm Malaysian time play-off against Vietnam in Jakarta. Anwar has called on the squad to play with full spirit and give their best, with third place at stake after Indonesia topped Group A on goals scored.

Indonesia and Thailand will then contest the final at 8pm Malaysian time at the same venue. For Malaysia, Monday’s match follows the 6-0 win over Singapore, which proved insufficient to secure a place in the final.