HANOI, Dec 14 — The Harimau Malaya squad will be hoping for history to repeat itself when they meet Vietnam in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 final, second-leg match at the My Dinh Stadium here tomorrow.

Four years ago, in the same competition, Malaysia, then under coach Dollah Salleh, lost 1-2 to the Golden Dragons in the first leg of the semi-finals.

They travelled to Hanoi fearing the worst. Yet, Dollah’s men played out of their skins to stun Vietnam 4-2 for a 5-4 aggregate win and a place in the final.

Although the stakes are higher this time, with the Cup at stake, who is to say the same cannot happen?

One man who played in that game, goalkeeper Farizal Marlias, is still in the team and remembers it fondly.

He knows that Malaysia are better placed this time, having drawn the first leg of the final 2-2 at the National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

That’s also why he believes nothing is impossible.

"Although the first-leg result at home did us no favour, we know it’s not the end.

"I can see that all my teammates are pumped up for the game against Vietnam tomorrow night,” he told the pre-match press conference at the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) office here today.

Farizal and Co must also be hoping for a better end to the campaign this time compared to 2014, when they lost 4-3 on aggregate to five-time champions Thailand.

Malaysia are looking to lift the Cup for a second time since 2010, when then coach Datuk K. Rajagobal guided the Harimau Malaya to a 4-2 aggregate win over Indonesia in the final. — Bernama