Hot football news afternoon 17/8: Malaysia team arrives in Hanoi before Vietnam

Malaysia made an early appearance in Hanoi, determined to overturn Vietnam's lead, while Arsenal issued a powerful warning, Manchester City endured a painful loss, and Barcelona surprisingly targeted Gyokeres.

Malaysia national team arrives early in Hanoi

The Malaysia national team landed at Noi Bai airport around 2:00 PM on August 17 to prepare for the second leg of the AFF Cup 2026 semifinal against Vietnam. Coach Tan Cheng Hoe's team proactively traveled to Hanoi early to have more time to rest, acclimatize to the weather conditions, and prepare for the decisive match at My Dinh.

After a 0-2 loss in the first leg, Malaysia faces huge pressure, needing to win by at least two goals to level the tie. Coach Tan Cheng Hoe was friendly, taking photos with fans, but refused to speak to the media. Pavithran Gunalan, Endrick dos Santos, and Faris Danish also attracted attention. Notably, Malaysia brought a large amount of luggage and training equipment, even to the extent that they had to use a specialized truck for transportation.

Vietnam team returns in a rushed schedule

Around 3:00 PM on August 17, the Vietnam team returned to Vietnam after their journey from Malaysia, less than 24 hours after the first leg semifinal. The tight schedule left many members visibly tired. Coach Kim Sang Sik was still friendly, bowing to fans, but quickly put on his headphones and grabbed a nap on the bus.

Players like Dinh Bac, Hoang Hen, Thanh Long, and Hai Long also hurriedly left the airport to rest. Nevertheless, the team atmosphere remained quite relaxed after the 2-0 victory. While Malaysia arrived in Hanoi about an hour earlier, Coach Kim Sang Sik's squad must quickly recover and prepare for the second leg on August 19.

Kovacic not accepting the 0-3 defeat

Man City began the Enzo Maresca era with a 0-3 loss to Arsenal in the 2026 Community Shield, but Mateo Kovacic believes the scoreline did not reflect the team's performance. The Croatian midfielder admitted Arsenal handled the decisive moments better, especially in the penalty areas, but Man City was not completely dominated. The goal conceded within 30 seconds from Riccardo Calafiori disrupted Man City's plan, before Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard added two more goals.

Kovacic said that very small differences can decide matches at the highest level. Although the defeat is a warning for Maresca, the 32-year-old midfielder believes Man City needs to quickly learn from the experience and not let this result affect their confidence ahead of the new season.

Arsenal sends a strong warning ahead of the new season

Arsenal started the new season with an impressive performance by defeating Man City 3-0. Riccardo Calafiori opened the scoring after 24 seconds, Kai Havertz doubled the lead, and Martin Odegaard sealed the victory early in the second half. Coach Mikel Arteta was particularly pleased with his players' desire and intensity, emphasizing that this must be the standard of Arsenal.

The victory is not only significant for the trophy but also shows that the Gunners have no intention of stopping after winning the Premier League last season. Arteta wants the team to continue conquering bigger milestones, as Arsenal aims to defend their title. With their fighting spirit, squad depth, and impressive form against Man City, the Gunners have already sent a warning to the rest of the Premier League.

Barcelona unexpectedly targets Gyokeres

Barcelona is reportedly planning to approach Viktor Gyokeres to replace Ferran Torres, who just moved to PSG for a fee of around €50 million. According to journalist Jose Alvarez, the Catalan club is expected to soon explore the possibility of bringing the Swedish striker back to La Liga.

Gyokeres previously impressed at Sporting CP before joining Arsenal and scored 21 goals in his first season in England. However, this deal is not easy to happen as Arsenal invested around £55 million to sign him and he has a contract until 2030.

Barcelona will face a huge financial requirement, given the club's budget limitations. There have been no official negotiations yet, but Gyokeres has started to appear in Barca's transfer plans.

Quang Hai receives praise from Hoang Duc

Hoang Duc praised Quang Hai after Vietnam defeated Malaysia 2-0 in the first leg of the AFF Cup 2026 semifinal. Although he came off the bench, Quang Hai still made an impact with a pass that led to Faris Danish's own goal. Hoang Duc considered his senior an important factor both professionally and mentally.

Meanwhile, Coach Tan Cheng Hoe admitted that Malaysia played with their strongest lineup but could not capitalize on opportunities. Vietnam is also racing against time to recover before the second leg at My Dinh.

In other notable developments, Ronaldo hinted that the 2026/27 season could be his last, while the European transfer market continues to be active with many big deals.