Harimau Muda finished the match with nine players on the field, and have collected only three points from three matches so far.

Vietnam recorded their third consecutive victory in the group stage and will proceed to the knockout round with Thailand, who thrashed Laos 4-1 in another match earlier today.

National coach E Elavarasan, who made five changes to the starting line-up that lost to Thailand on Saturday, was stunned when the national team fell behind in the seventh minute from an own goal by defender Ahmad Zikri Khalili, while Van Tung added salt to injury with a headed goal in the 33rd minute.

Malaysia pulled one back through midfielder Aiman Afif Afizul in the 43rd minute, but striker Aliff Izwan Yuslan missed a golden chance to equalise with only the keeper to beat in the 45th minute.

The team’s momentum in the second half was affected as Safwan Mazlan and Najmudin Akmal Kamal Akmal were sent off by Japanese referee Jumpei Lida.

The last time Malaysia won the gold in the event was in the 2011 games in Indonesia, while they finished fourth in Hanoi.

Harimau Muda are scheduled to play Singapore in the final group match on Thursday.