SEA Games in 2022: Football Semi-finals preview, schedule and stars to watch

To say that the Vietnamese are football crazy is a bit of an understatement.

On any given Saturday you can watch as many games from the big European leagues as you can in Europe and it's common to see people knocking about in Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, PSG, and Borussia Dortmund shirts.

The passion for the game is real over here, and now they have both a men's and a women's team to be proud of.

The men have had a sustained period of success under South Korean coach Park Hang-seo with a golden generation that has the entire nation on board.

The women recently qualified for the 2023 Women's World Cup, the first Vietnamese side - men's or women's - to make it to the big one.

Now both sides are reigning SEA Games champions and are determined to retain their titles in front of their adoring home fans who are packing out stadiums to see them.

For a women's competition preview, schedule and results click here, for the men's, read on.

31st SEA Games Football semi-final preview: Vietnam - Malaysia

The hosts finished top of Group A and will face Malaysia who were Group B runners-up.

Three wins and a draw was a solid group stage campaign for Vietnam, defeating Indonesia 3-0, drawing 0-0 with the Philippines, overcoming a resolute Myanmar 1-0, and finishing up with a comfortable 2-0 over Timor L'Este (East Timor).

Captain Do Hung Dung has led from the front scoring a couple of important goals, including the winner against Myanmar.

Players to watch include attacking midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai, defensive duo Do Duy Manh and Doan Van Hau, 27-year-old Nguyen Cong Phuong and the talented Luong Xuan Truong.

Malaysia had two wins and two draws on their path to the semi-final, defeating Laos and eventual Group B winners Thailand, but then drawing with Singapore and Keisuke Honda's Cambodia.

Malaysia have scored at least two every game so far and have also conceded in every game, so it points to an open, exciting semi-final with Vietnam.

Keep an eye on 20-year-old Luqman Hakim Shamsudin who plays his trade as a striker for Kortrijk in the Belgian first division, he's scored a couple of nice goals during the group.

Muhammad Hadi is another, he's a J-League player who scored both against Cambodia in their 2-2 draw.

Thailand - Indonesia SEA Games 2021 in 2022 preview

Thailand topped Group A with three wins and that loss to Malaysia, scoring 12 goals on the way and letting in just two - both to the Malaysians, and with a man sent off.

The 'Fighting Elephants' had two 5-0 wins against Singapore and Cambodia. Oxford United's 21-year-old Ben Davis has looked good, and Thai-Swedish striker Patrik Gustavsson has also chipped in with a couple of goals.

As has Korawich 'Sun' Tasa.

But Indonesia are a talented young team too - all the teams are U23 with three overage players allowed just like at the Olympics - and have impressed.

An opening 3-0 loss to Vietnam in Group A was a little skewed as some of their top players hadn't arrived in Hanoi, and the difference is marked since that game.

A 4-1 victory over East Timor kickstarted their campaign, and they followed that up with a hugely impressive 4-0 dismantling of the Philippines, securing qualification with a 3-1 first half blitz against Myanmar.

And all that without Ipswich Town's Elkan Baggott who sadly won't make it to Hanoi despite being registered to play.

Two players who have starred are Egy and Marselino, the former has scored in three of four matches and the latter has a brace to his name.

Both were named in the Guardian's top 60 most promising players, Egy in 2017 and Marselino in 2021, and are worth the ticket price alone.

SEA Games 2022 Football semi-finals Schedule

19 May

Thailand - Indonesia (4pm kick-off)

Vietnam - Malaysia (7pm)

SEA Games football semi-final live stream

You should find a live stream for both games on the official event YouTube page, and check out the Olympics.com live updates for to keep up with all the action.