Indonesian media believes Malaysia could defeat Vietnam in the Southeast Asian championship final.

Despite losing 0-4 to Vietnam U17 in the group stage, Indonesian media still believes Malaysia U17 could create a surprise in the final, as the "Little Tigers" had previously won both times they reached the Southeast Asian U17 final.

Before the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 final between Vietnam U17 and Malaysia U17, regional media is particularly focused on this fateful rematch. Even though Vietnam U17 previously defeated Malaysia 4-0 in the group stage, Indonesian press argues that the "Little Tigers" have solid grounds to produce an upset in the championship-deciding match.

CNN Indonesia extensively analyzed Malaysia U17's journey and highlighted historical factors as a crucial psychological support. According to the newspaper, this is the third time Malaysia U17 has appeared in the Southeast Asian U17 final, and notably, in both previous instances, they emerged victorious to claim the championship.

The first time Malaysia U17 reached the final was when they faced Indonesia U17. After a tense match, the Malaysian representatives won 3-1 via penalty shootout to claim the crown. In 2019, they again advanced to the final match and defeated host Thailand U17 with a 2-1 score. Therefore, CNN Indonesia believes the perfect record in previous finals is the basis for Malaysia dreaming of a "magical victory" against Vietnam U17.

The Indonesian newspaper used the phrase "magical" because not long ago, Malaysia U17 suffered a 0-4 defeat against Vietnam U17 in the group stage. That was a match where Coach Shukor Adan's squad was completely overshadowed by the opponent's strength and organization. However, after that loss, Malaysia showed clear improvement in each subsequent game, especially in defensive capability and competitive spirit.

In the semifinals, Malaysia U17 easily defeated Laos U17 3-0 and kept a clean sheet, while Vietnam U17 overcame a major challenge named Australia U17 with a convincing 2-1 victory. Malaysian media believes the heavy loss to Vietnam was a valuable lesson for this young team to adjust tactics and avoid repeating a weak performance.

Coach Shukor Adan also expressed confidence before the final, stating his players have matured significantly. He said after the heavy defeat to Vietnam, the whole team reacted strongly, kept a clean sheet in three consecutive matches, and secured a spot in the final—something few expected. While acknowledging Vietnam U17 has a very good training system and is a strong opponent, the Malaysian strategist emphasized his team will fight with all their ability to continue writing history in the regional arena.

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