Korean media: 'Kim Sang Sik's magic' works again

The 2-0 victory on Malaysian soil in the first leg of the ASEAN Championship 2026 semi-finals has led Korean media to once again mention "Kim Sang Sik's magic". The Korean press also noted that coach Kim Sang Sik has an opportunity to make history with the Vietnam national team.

The newspaper InterFootball ran the headline: "'Sang Sik's magic' works again! Vietnam defeats Malaysia 2-0 in semi-final first leg... green light for the final".

InterFootball wrote: "Coach Kim Sang Sik's Vietnam team won the first leg of the semi-final, thereby securing a favorable position in the race to reach the final".

In the match in Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam started with a 3-4-3 formation. Xuan Son created an early chance in the 3rd minute but his right-footed shot could not be converted into a goal.

Malaysia then took the initiative and created several dangerous situations. However, Vietnam's defense stood firm against the host's pressure.

The turning point came in the 45+5th minute. From a cross by Tien Anh on the right wing, Xuan Son leaped to head the ball into the Malaysian net, giving Vietnam a 1-0 lead at half-time.

Korean media were particularly impressed with this goal and described it as "a beautiful flying header by Nguyen Xuan Son".

In the second half, coach Kim Sang Sik continuously adjusted personnel to maintain control. Hendrio, Quang Hai, and Hai Long were successively brought on.

In the 86th minute, Quang Hai played the ball forward, causing Malaysia's Danish to awkwardly score an own goal. Vietnam closed the match with a 2-0 victory, building a big advantage before the second leg in Hanoi.

Korean media assessed that Vietnam has taken a big step toward the final. With a two-goal lead, coach Kim Sang Sik's team would still advance even if they lose by one goal in the second leg.

The Korean media also paid special attention to the milestone Kim Sang Sik could achieve. Vietnam won the ASEAN Championship 2024 and is aiming to reach the final for the second consecutive time.

The article emphasized: "If Vietnam reach the final and win this tournament, they will achieve a first in Vietnamese football history: two consecutive finals and two consecutive titles".

The Korean press also compared this achievement to the era of coach Park Hang Seo. Under Park, Vietnam won the AFF Cup 2018 but stopped at the semi-finals of the next tournament. In 2022, Vietnam returned to the final but only finished as runners-up.

Therefore, if he continues to lead Vietnam to the final and successfully defend the title, Kim Sang Sik will achieve a feat that his predecessor Park Hang Seo never accomplished.

After the 2-0 win in Kuala Lumpur, the phrase "Kim Sang Sik's magic" was once again mentioned by Korean media. Xuan Son made the difference with the opening goal, while coach Kim Sang Sik's adjustments helped Vietnam control the rest of the match and get closer to the ASEAN Championship 2026 final ticket.