AFF Cup, Vietnam team 0-0 Singapore: Hai Long’s free kick hit the bar

* Comment before the match

In the first leg on December 26, Singapore caused many difficulties for the Vietnamese team because of its organized play, discipline and good ball control. However, the “Lion Island” team struggled to bring the ball to Vietnam’s penalty area, and their physical strength decreased in the second half of the match. On the opposite side, after overcoming a lot of pressure, coach Kim Sang-sik’s team pressed forward in the last minutes, scoring two goals in extra time from Tien Linh (90+11 minutes) and Xuan Son (90+ minutes). 14).

With a 2-goal lead, the Vietnamese team almost has one foot in the final. However, coach Kim Sang-sik is still cautious and affirms that he and his students will enter the second leg with the highest concentration. At the same time, the Vietnamese team will learn lessons from the first leg and close the gaps in front of the penalty area to avoid danger. “The score of 2-0 is still dangerous. The Vietnamese team understands that the semi-final second leg will not be easy, so we need to prepare and anticipate all problems. We will try our best when we compete on the field. home field,” coach Kim Sang-sik shared.

Experts predict that coach Kim Sang-sik is likely to still use the main squad, but there will be adjustments to suit the tactics. The Vietnamese team did not attack aggressively to take risks from Singapore’s counterattacks. The defensive front needs to be given priority, playing solidly in the first minutes of the semi-final second leg to avoid conceding a goal. At the same time this approach will dampen Singapore’s euphoria. In the second half, the Vietnamese team will unleash their strength and “finish” Singapore to advance to the finals.

In fact, since the beginning of the AFF Cup 2024, the Vietnamese team has done this very well. After 5 matches, coach Kim Sang-sik’s team scored 13 goals and all came in the second half: 10 goals came after the 60th minute, 7 goals came after the 75th minute and 5 goals came in injury time.

On the other side of the battle line, Singapore has nothing to lose and they will be very dangerous right now. Coach Tsutomu Ogura’s team certainly wants to pressure Vietnam in the second leg, looking for an early goal to create a comeback at Viet Tri.

Coach Tsutomu Ogura talked about Singapore’s ability to continue: “I cannot say what percentage of chances Singapore has to surprise Vietnam. The Singapore team did not come to Vietnam to visit. I know Vietnam has many things to do. scenic spots, but we come here to compete. The older players have useful experience to pass on to the younger players. They want to show off myself in this match”.

Notably, in the return match, Singapore will welcome the return of important midfielder Kyoga Nakamura. The Japanese-born player is the soul of Singapore’s playing style and is expected to bring many difficulties to the Vietnamese team. Before this competition, Kyoga Nakamura expressed his determination: “I will not play in the first leg of the semi-finals. From my perspective, I see the strengths and weaknesses of the Vietnamese team. Certainly, I want a different change in the second leg of the semi-finals.”