The hosts made a strong start at Thien Truong Stadium as Do Duy Manh headed home from a corner in the sixth minute. The early lead lifted Vietnam, who continued to press, with Nguyen Hoang Duc striking the crossbar from long range in the 24th minute.
Vietnam extended their advantage shortly after the break. In the 51st minute, Nguyen Xuan Son headed in from a cross by Do Hoang Hen. Seven minutes later, he added a second, powering another header into the net from Truong Tien Anh’s delivery to make it 3-0.
Malaysia responded with sustained pressure and created several clear chances, but managed only a late consolation goal as Endrick converted a penalty.
The 3-1 win ensured Vietnam finished top of the group with 18 points in the final round of the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.