Hanoi (VNA) – Media agencies around Asia have been running articleshighlighting the first leg match of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 final betweenVietnam and Malaysia on December 11 at the latter’s Bukit Jalil NationalStadium, which ended with a 2-2 draw.

In an article titled “AFFSuzuki Cup 2018: Malaysia fights back against Vietnam to stay alive”, FoxSports Asia described the match as “an enthralling encounter in front of acrowd that had to be more than the official attendance of 88,482”.

Vietnam had a goodstart with two goals scored in the 22nd and 25th minutes by Nguyen Huy Hung andPham Duc Huy.

“The Golden Dragonscould easily have added a third a minute after the half-hour mark when NguyenQuang Hai’s lovely slide-rule pass sent Ha Duc Chinh racing through, but hecould only shoot straight at Farizal,” the newspaper wrote with regret.

With two potentiallycrucial away goals, Vietnam is in possession of the second leg at the My DinhNational Stadium in Hanoi on December 15, it added.

Sharing the same view,the website Goal.com said “Malaysia fought hard to come from behind to draw 2-2with Vietnam in the first leg of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup and faces a difficult returnleg”.

“Despite the gallanteffort to claw back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw at Bukit JalilNational Stadium, the two away goals conceded to Vietnam will weigh heavily onthe mind of Malaysia’s head coach Tan Cheng Hoe,” it wrote in its articletitled “Draw in KL sees Vietnam gain two away goals advantage”.

“Vietnam produced moreof an attacking display than what fans would have been accustomed to in thecompetition this year, and Malaysia struggled to cope with the precision andsharpness of their guests on the night”.

The article highlightedVietnamese coach Park Hang-seo’s changes in the line-up when opting to dropNguyen Anh Duc and Luong Xuan Truong to the bench with Ha Duc Chinh and NguyenHuy Hung preferred from the start.

“It was a physicalapproach adopted by Vietnam in defence which unsettled the likes of Zaquan Adhaand Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, which led to the duo unable to influence thegame,” the article wrote.

“The draw means thatVietnam will go away from this match the happier of the two teams, knowing fullwell that they will have a noisy home crowd behind them at My Dinh Stadium forthem to finish the job,” it added.

Channel News Asia alsoagreed that Vietnam will go into December 15’s return leg in Hanoi asfavourites, thanks to their two away goals as both nations attempt to win theregional title for the second time. –VNA