MALAYSIA’s national under-23 football team will face Vietnam and Laos in Group B of the 2025 SEA Games men’s football competition.
The tournament will feature 10 nations divided into three groups for the preliminary stage.
Head coach Nafuzi Zain’s Harimau Muda face a stern test against Vietnam in their bid to reach the semi-finals as group winners.
Laos are also seen as potential giant killers in the challenging group.
Host nation Thailand were placed in Group A with Cambodia and Timor-Leste.
Group C comprises Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore.
The top team from each group plus the best second-placed team will advance to the semi-finals.
Thailand’s Group A matches will take place at the Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla.
Group B and Group C fixtures are scheduled for the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai.
The semi-finals and final will be held at Bangkok’s Rajamangala National Stadium.
Malaysia failed to advance beyond the group stage at the 2023 edition in Cambodia.
The team settled for fourth place in the previous edition in Vietnam during 2021.
Malaysia last won SEA Games football gold during the 2011 edition in Indonesia.
The silver medal at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur edition marked Malaysia’s last podium finish.
The national women’s football team were drawn in Group B alongside Vietnam, Myanmar and the Philippines.
Group A in women’s football comprises Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore and Indonesia.
In futsal, the men’s team will compete against Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar in round-robin format.
The women’s futsal team were drawn in Group A with Thailand and the Philippines. – Bernama
