Dramatic semi-final return between Vietnam and Singapore: both leaders are cautious

Trends zita. New Sunday 29th December 2024 11:11 AM REPORT

Semi-final first leg, Vietnam has the advantage but…

Despite leading 2-0 in the first leg of the semi-final, coach Kim Sang-sik still believes it is a dangerous scoreline. “We won 2-0 in the first leg and got one foot into the final. However, the 2-0 score remains dangerous. The Vietnamese team understands that the semi-final second leg will not be easy, so they must prepare and anticipate all problems. We will do our best when we play at home,” said coach Kim Sang-sik.

Coach Kim Sang-sik

Can Coach Ogura surprise Coach Kim Sang-sik in the second leg?

However, Mr. Kim affirmed that the field will be the support point for the Vietnamese team to defeat Singapore: “We have the support of the fans, so we will fight as we did to overcome the difficulties. We We’re a team and we did our best for this match.”

Commenting on the opponent, the Korean coach said that the Singapore team plays very well with long balls, so he wants the Vietnamese team to defend well in long ball situations. “We analyzed to understand the Singapore attack. Hopefully the players will be able to defeat their opponents. They play long balls very well, so the players need to create pressure on the Singapore side of the pitch. In the second leg, I will make adjustments to make the Vietnamese team stronger,” concluded coach Kim Sang-sik.

Meanwhile, coach Ogura said he could not estimate what percentage of his team had the ability to surprise the Vietnamese team. “I can only say that Singapore will try to put in a good match,” Mr Ogura said.

In the first leg, the Singapore team suddenly used an overwhelming offensive style of play, possessing the ball 67% compared to the Vietnamese team’s 33%. However, two errors in the final minute of added time made them pay the price. Forward Nguyen Xuan Son was directly involved in both situations. However, Coach Ogura didn’t emphasize Xuan Son’s blocking much in the second leg: “In the last game, Xuan Son only had a few clear chances. In general, I do not recommend the team to only focus on a single opposing player, because the Vietnamese team also has many other strong offensive players.

According to the rules of the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), the two semi-finals of the 2024 AFF Cup do not apply the away goals rule. The team that scores the most goals after two rounds will win the match. So, to advance to the final, the Singapore team must win by 3 goals in the second leg, or by 2 goals to tie the total score, and then wait for an opportunity in overtime.