Vietnamese players practise on December 28 to prepare for their ASEAN Cup's demi-final second leg match against Singapore on December 29 at the Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ Province. Photos of VFF

PHÚ THỌ — Coach Kim Sang-sik has warned that Việt Nam’s position is not yet secure, despite their 2-0 lead against Singapore ahead of the second leg of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup semi-final. Meanwhile, his counterpart, Tsutomu Ogura, expressed confidence in Singapore’s ability to turn the tide when the two teams meet on December 29.

During a press conference on December 28, South Korean coach Kim acknowledged Việt Nam’s advantage but emphasised that the scoreline was far from safe. He urged the Vietnamese players to maintain full concentration to secure another victory at the Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ Province.

Coach Kim Sang-sik (right) and captain Đỗ Duy Mạnh of Việt Nam at the press conference.

"Tomorrow game will be tough and we need to work hard to ensure a win. In addition to the strong defence, we will have to give our best in this match. We will meet our supporters' demand and repay their love on home ground," said Kim.

When asked about Việt Nam’s inability to score in the first half of their last five matches, Coach Kim Sang-sik downplayed the issue, saying it was not a major concern. He noted that Việt Nam had created numerous opportunities but lacked the luck needed to convert them into goals. Despite the first-half drought, Kim emphasised that his players demonstrated determination, and the final results spoke for themselves.

Kim revealed plans for some adjustments in the upcoming match on December 29, with hopes of delivering a stronger first-half performance. The team has also reviewed their first-leg match and strategised on countering Singapore’s attacks, particularly their dangerous long-ball tactics.

Captain Đỗ Duy Mạnh highlighted that, while many believe Việt Nam have an easy path to victory given their lead and home advantage, he does not share this view, underscoring the team’s need for focus and effort in the second leg.

"There is no easy match, we need to focus and strictly follow the board's tactics. We have not thought about the final yet but try their best to get good result tomorrow," said Mạnh.

Striker Nguyễn Xuân Son of Việt Nam targets top scorer title of the tournament.

Rising Vietnamese star striker Nguyễn Xuân Sơn expressed confidence in his ability to deliver more goals if included in the starting line-up.

“The title of top scorer sounds interesting. I will score many more goals for the Vietnamese team in the upcoming matches. Just wait and see!” Sơn said.

After two matches, Sơn has scored three goals, placing him just one goal behind the current leader, Shawal Anuar of Singapore, in the top scorer rankings.

Meanwhile, Coach Tsutomu Ogura acknowledged Việt Nam’s strength as a team but pointed out that they still have weaknesses that Singapore could exploit in the upcoming match.

Coach Tsutomu Ogura of Singapore. Photo of FAS

“We just arrived in Việt Nam yesterday and had had only one training shift. It is difficult to say how many per cent of win for Singapore but we will have our best performance," said Ogura.

"We will try to change things in the second match. It's hard to be happy with the 0-2 loss but Singapore have positive energy. We will use this spirit to have a good match tomorrow and secure the final match spot," said the 58-year-old Japanese coach.

Asked about his squad with number of middle-aged players, Ogura said there were over-30 players but he didn't care much. The importance was that his senior and junior members were all energetic. Hà Nội was beautiful but Singapore did not come to visit.

He also didn't pay much attention to striker Son, who scored one and brought a penalty for Việt Nam in the previous match.

Singapore players must beat Việt Nam in the upcoming match to earn their ASEAN Cup's final match slot.

He said: "I am not interested in one player but plan to deal with the entire Vietnamese team, which have many quality players. In a match, we need to focus and make efforts not just for one or two minutes but for the whole match, including extra time."

The match will be broadcast live on VTV and FPT channels from 8pm. VNS