Viet Tri’s fire pan is ready, the second leg will be even harsher with Singapore

Tough challenge for Singapore

The Vietnamese team overcame many obstacles to defeat Singapore in the first leg of the AFF Cup 2024 semi-finals, taking place on the evening of December 26.

From the fact that host Singapore only allowed 70 Vietnamese fans into the field, the artificial turf at Jalan Besar to the controversial decisions of VAR and the referee… everything could not stop coach Kim Sang-sik and his team from progressing. to victory.

Defeating the opponent with a difference of 2 goals away from home, the Vietnamese team was very close to the ticket to the final. A win, draw, or loss with a difference of 1 goal at Viet Tri Stadium in the rematch at 8:00 p.m. on December 29 will send Quang Hai and his teammates into the finals.

Viet Tri Stadium is becoming the fulcrum of the Vietnamese team, helping coach Kim Sang-sik and his team win the AFF Cup 2024 against Indonesia and Myanmar (scoring 6 goals, conceding no goals). The heat from the stands with nearly 20,000 spectators turned Viet Tri into a “pan of fire”, adding spirit to the Vietnamese hosts while also putting great pressure on the away teams.

Although the return match has not yet taken place, the competition on December 29 promises to be a difficult challenge for Singapore. Because right now, tickets to watch the match are almost sold out. Tickets distributed online were sold out after only 3 minutes of being on sale. Last night, fans also lined up to buy tickets directly in front of the Viet Tri stadium gate.

The hotter the ticket, the more it shows that fans’ interest is increasing. Standing behind the Vietnamese team are no longer around 70 fans like the number at Jalan Besar, but tens of thousands of spectators. Viet Tri’s “pan of fire” is ready to burn in the semi-final second leg.

Beautiful pitch, beautiful stones?

The competition with Singapore last night was the first match in this year’s tournament, the Vietnamese team was overwhelmed in the amount of time they held the ball and the number of passes. Quang Hai and his teammates only controlled the ball 31% and made half as many passes as Singapore.

On a hard and unpredictable artificial turf surface, the ball’s bounce is inherently difficult for players to bounce or pass short. Coach Kim Sang-sik taught them to play safely, using many long, high passes to save time getting the ball to the goal. With Nguyen Xuan Son in attack, even when kicking long, the Vietnamese team has a clear chance.

However, in the second leg, the Vietnamese team will play differently. The natural grass surface at Viet Tri Stadium provides ideal conditions for Mr. Kim’s students to play short, smooth kicks with flexible pieces as shown in the competition with Myanmar.

Although he has not yet shaped a specific playing style for the Vietnamese team, coach Kim Sang-sik is scoring points thanks to diversifying his playing style and adapting well to match developments. The Vietnamese team can play many different styles and rotations to overcome opponents. That’s why the whole team often starts slowly (still hasn’t scored a goal in the first half), but plays well in the final minutes of the match when Mr. Kim can read the opponent’s cards.

With an unbeaten record and charm at Viet Tri Stadium, believe that the Vietnamese team will pass the second leg to be in the AFF Cup 2024 final.