Singapore is no longer an unknown quantity ahead of the clash with the Vietnam national team

Two hard-fought wins against Cambodia and Timor Leste have given Singapore a temporary lead in Group A of the ASEAN Cup 2026, yet they have also exposed quite a few weaknesses of the island nation's team.

When playing away at My Dinh Stadium on July 31, coach Gavin Lee's squad will face a completely different challenge in the form of the Vietnam national team, the defending champions who boast an explosive attack and immense confidence after a massive 7-0 victory over Timor Leste.

Singapore has always been a tough opponent for Vietnamese football in many historical periods, but the current lineup under coach Gavin Lee no longer feels as intimidating as the generations that once dominated Southeast Asia.

The victory on Cambodian soil showed that this team still possesses individuals capable of making a difference, but also exposed many shortcomings in the execution of their playing style.

The dangerous name for Singapore is veteran striker Anuar. Without needing too many chances, this experienced marksman always knows how to pick his spot and unleash very decisive finishes. Anuar was the first scorer on the opening dayASEAN Cup 2026into the net of the host Cambodia.

In the midfield, conductor Nakamura, a Japanese-born midfielder, is the brain of Singapore's play. He is also a player on whom coach Gavin Lee places great expectations whenever Singapore needs to control the game. The 35-year-old captain Harris Harun is also being used quite sparingly to conserve energy for important matches.

Another very notable name isSong Ui Young. The naturalized South Korean midfielder still possesses speed and good breaking ability, but age prevents him from maintaining the intensity of play for the full 90 minutes.

That explains why coach Gavin Lee only used Song Ui Young for one half in the win over Cambodia to preserve his fitness for the long haul. In the win over Timor Leste on the evening of July 27, Song Ui Young started and scored the decisive goal to seal a 2-0 victory for Singapore thanks to a cross from Nakamura.

The game-changer from the bench is Ilhan Fandi. The youngest son of legend Fandi Ahmad came on and immediately scored the decisive goal in stoppage time, bringing a precious victory for Singapore.

Ilhan possesses ideal height, good aerial ability and very cool finishing. Fandi continued to score his second goal of the tournament with the opening goal against Timor Leste from a cross by Abdullah.

However, looking comprehensively, Singapore has not shown enough strength to make the Vietnam team fear. The win over Cambodia was very hard-fought, and they only secured all three points thanks to a goal in the 11th minute of stoppage time.

Coach Gavin Lee's team has also not been able to apply continuous pressure for most of the playing time. In the two matches so far, Singapore had 53% possession against Cambodia and 50% against Timor Leste. Singapore does not hold the ball well, and this team is showing a fairly good ability to attack from the flanks, with 3 out of 4 goals coming from crosses into the box from the wings.

Another disadvantage for the Singapore team is the schedule. Whilethe Vietnam teamhad a full round off to recover and prepare thoroughly, Singapore had to play continuously against Cambodia, Timor Leste, and then immediately travel to Hanoi.

The dense schedule will certainly significantly affect the fitness base of the key players, especially the older ones like Song Ui Young, Nakamura, Hariss Harun, or Anuar.