Following a whirlwind three weeks, where 70 goals flew in from just 20 matches, the semifinal lineup for the 2026 ASEAN Championship has been set.
Reigning champions Vietnam are still in the running for a successful title defence, finishing top of Group A and joined by second-placed Singapore -- who are through to the semis for a second consecutive editions after finishing ahead of Indonesia, Cambodia and Timor-Leste.
Meanwhile, the tournament's record seven-time winners Thailand have progressed as Group B winners along with Malaysia, who got the job done on the final day of the group stage by staying clear off Myanmar and Philippines in second place - with Laos already eliminated previously.
The semis will now feature rematches of two previous finals: between Vietnam and Malaysia from 2018, as well as the 2012 decider that was contested by Thailand and Singapore.
Singapore will host the first semifinal on Aug. 15 before travelling to Bangkok for the second leg on Aug. 18, while the first leg of the Vietnam-Malaysia clash will be in Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 16 while the return encounter takes place in Hanoi three days later on Aug. 19.
The final will then take place on Aug. 22 and 26.
Ahead of the semis, we look back at how each of the final four got this far to keep alive their hopes of becoming champions of Southeast Asia in 2026.
Vietnam
July 24: Timor-Leste 0-7 Vietnam
July 31: Vietnam 0-0 Singapore
Aug. 3: Indonesia 0-3 Vietnam
Aug. 7: Vietnam 3-1 Cambodia
The reigning champions could not have made a better start when they thrashed Timor-Leste 7-0 in their campaign opener, with rising star Nguyễn Đình Bắc issuing a notice that he could just be one to watch at the tournament with a fine hat-trick.
However, the Vietnamese's title defence hit a bump on the road when they were held to a 0-0 draw at home Singapore in their next outing -- a game in which they really should have picked up maximum points given they had 24 attempts on goal to the opposition's 13.
But just when it looked like their crown might be there for the taking, Vietnam responded brilliantly away to Indonesia -- scoring twice inside the opening 14 minutes en route to a 3-0 victory which really got their campaign back on track.
And on Friday, Kim Sang-Sik's charges secured top spot in Group A with a 3-1 triumph over already-eliminated Cambodia -- even if they needed two goals in the final six minutes to prevail after the visitors put up some stern resistance in Hanoi.
Singapore
July 24: Cambodia 1-2 Singapore
July 27: Singapore 2-0 Timor-Leste
July 31: Vietnam 0-0 Singapore
Aug. 7: Singapore 1-1 Indonesia
Singapore could not have asked for a better start to their campaign as they picked up opening wins over Cambodia and Timor-Leste, although both results were probably not as convincing as they would have liked.
They were almost held to a draw by Cambodia until a dramatic 101st-minute winner by Ilhan Fandi, while a two-goal win over the Timorese was hardly a flattering scoreline.
Ultimately though, picking up maximum points from those games was all that really mattered.
The Lions produced a stirring display to get a valuable point against Vietnam in Hanoi, paving the way for them needing only to avoid defeat in their Group A finale to progress -- which they duly achieved with a battling 1-1 draw at home to Indonesia.
Thailand
July 25: Laos 0-5 Thailand
Aug. 1: Thailand 2-0 Malaysia
Aug. 4: Philippines 0-1 Thailand
Aug. 8: Thailand 2-0 Myanmar
Although they are missing a whole host of key players, Thailand issued an early statement when they opened with a 5-0 rout of Laos -- with youngsters Kakana Khamyok, Teerasak Poeiphimai and Seksan Ratree all coming to the fore.
When they were also relatively untroubled in their win over Malaysia at home, which had loomed as their trickiest tie to negotiate, things were certainly looking on the up for the War Elephants.
They faced more resistance in their trip to New Clark City Stadium and almost had to settle for a point, until an 84th-minute intervention from Waris Choolthong kept their perfect run going.
Despite picking up a maximum nine points from their opening three games, Thailand still were not guaranteed progress heading into their final group-stage tie against Myanmar -- but they would make sure of it as a couple of penalties in either half -- from Worachit Kanitsribampen and Jehhanafee Mamah -- ensured they would be the only team in the competition with a 100% record of four victories.
Malaysia
July 25: Myanmar 1-2 Malaysia
July 28: Malaysia 4-0 Laos
Aug. 1: Thailand 2-0 Malaysia
Aug. 8: Malaysia 1-0 Philippines
It could have been all so different for Malaysia.
Just ten minutes into their campaign, they found themselves trailing to Myanmar. But with a classic captain's display, Paulo Josué scored twice in the space of six second-half minutes to hand them a winning start.
They were largely untroubled in a 4-0 rout of Laos although they really only turned on the style in the second half -- having taken until the stroke of halftime to break the deadlock -- but then hit a major hurdle when they were no match for the Thais as they suffered a 2-0 loss in Bangkok.
As the race for the semifinals went down to the wire, Malaysia's fate was ultimately largely within their own hands -- and they would duly get the result they needed against Philippines courtesy of G. Pavithran's excellent header from a fine Wan Kuzain cross which handed them a 1-0 victory.