Vietnam - Singapore: A Turning Point for the Semifinal Ticket

The Vietnamese team has undergone certain changes compared to when they won the ASEAN Cup in 2024. Two years ago, the team's play relied heavily on the brilliance of their only naturalized star, Xuân Son, but now head coach Kim Sang-sik possesses a quality trio of naturalized players. In addition to Xuân Son, Vietnam also has Hoàng Hên (Hendrio) and Tài Lộc (Geovane Magno).

Hoàng Hên has adapted very quickly to the Vietnamese team's style of play. The midfielder, who plays for Hà Nội FC, has scored 3 goals in 4 appearances for the national team. He shares the attacking burden well with Xuân Son. Tài Lộc only appeared in the match against Myanmar but immediately made his mark with an assist for Xuân Son's goal.

Vietnam's opponent in this match is Singapore, which is currently in a transition period. The Lion Island team is expected to find it difficult to stop the progress of the Golden Star Warriors in the clash at Mỹ Đình Stadium on July 31.

Since losing the 1998 Tiger Cup final (the predecessor of the current ASEAN Cup), Vietnam has not lost to Singapore. The last time the two teams met was in the semifinals of the 2024 ASEAN Cup, where Vietnam won both legs (2-0 and 3-1) to secure a place in the final.

In Group A of this year's tournament, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia are the three main contenders for the two spots to advance. The match between Vietnam and Singapore is crucial in the race for the top spot in Group A. Whoever wins will have a significant advantage in the competition for a semifinal berth.

To prepare for the match against Singapore in the second round of Group A at the 2026 ASEAN Cup, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team have been training at Mỹ Đình National Stadium. After the match against Timor-Leste, Vietnam has held closed training sessions. Coach Kim Sang-sik wants his players to maintain the highest level of focus, aiming for their second victory in this ASEAN Cup.

Regarding the squad situation, good news for Vietnam is the return of Tài Lộc. The Ninh Bình FC player can train normally with his teammates. His return gives coach Kim Sang-sik an additional quality option in attack. Previously, the Korean coach started Đình Bắc in place of the naturalized player in the 7-0 win over Timor-Leste.

While Tài Lộc is ready for the match against Singapore, goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm has not yet appeared in Vietnam's training sessions. The goalkeeper is still being monitored by the team's doctors, who are providing a suitable recovery plan for his quickest return.

To prepare for this match, the Vietnamese team returned to Mỹ Đình on July 25 and had a full week of preparation without much travel.

Meanwhile, the Lion Island team has faced a packed schedule, traveling to Cambodia earlier in the week for their first match, returning home for the second match, and then heading to Vietnam just two days later for the third match. Coach Gavin Lee's squad has had to travel and adapt to three different venues in seven days.

Additionally, the big win in the opening match has given the Vietnamese players a strong psychological boost. The schedule is also quite favorable for the defending champions.

Singapore is a strong team in the region, but that is in the past. They have won the ASEAN Cup four times, but their most recent title was 19 years ago. Singapore once dominated the ASEAN Cup thanks to their naturalization policy, but the decline of their domestic league and youth development system has left the Lion Island's football talent pool depleted.

In this ASEAN Cup, coach Gavin Lee's team is not highly rated and is not considered among the title contenders like Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Coach Gavin Lee's team, which he has recently taken over, is following a "Japanization" path. But after two matches against weak opponents like Cambodia and Timor-Leste, Singapore struggled to secure victories. The Lion Island team's style of play still lacks clear structure and organization.

For this away trip to Vietnam, Singapore is likely to adopt a deep defensive approach combined with quick counterattacks.

Singapore's defense will struggle to hold up against the overwhelming attacking power of the defending champions. Vietnam has shown their attacking strength by scoring 17 goals in their last four matches. Meanwhile, Singapore has kept a clean sheet in only two of their last 11 matches. Against opponents like Bangladesh and the Maldives, Singapore has also conceded, so their defense will find it hard to withstand Vietnam's attack. The Golden Star Warriors will be even stronger with the return of naturalized striker Nguyễn Tài Lộc.

In the opening match, coach Kim Sang-sik deployed Đình Bắc in place of the Brazilian-born striker on the left wing, alongside Xuân Son and Hoàng Hên. In his ASEAN Cup debut, Đình Bắc scored a hat-trick and provided one assist. That performance earned him the "Man of the Match" award.

Tài Lộc's return clearly gives coach Kim Sang-sik another effective attacking option. But it also gives him a "headache" in choosing the starting front three for the upcoming match against Singapore, especially the left-wing position between Đình Bắc and Tài Lộc. Singapore is a much stronger opponent than Timor-Leste, particularly in defense. Therefore, Vietnam must play with focus to secure the victory. Choosing the right striker is equally important.

Currently, Singapore leads Group A with 6 points, while Vietnam is second with 3 points but has played one match fewer.

The match between Vietnam and Singapore at Mỹ Đình Stadium (Hanoi) will take place at 8:00 PM on July 31. With four more days of rest than their opponent and no travel required, the Vietnamese team has a significant advantage heading into this clash.