Singapore dreams of ASEAN Cup semifinal spot, coach Gavin Lee confident of earning points against Vietnam

The Singapore national team aims to become the first team to secure a spot in the semifinals of the 2026 ASEAN Cup (AFF Cup). To achieve this, they need to defeat Vietnam in the match scheduled for July 31.

Currently, Singapore leads Group A with 6 points after two matches, while Vietnam and Indonesia are in second and third place respectively, but have only played one game each.

Coach Gavin Lee believes his team's chances of reaching the semifinals are wide open. Despite being away at Vietnam's My Dinh Stadium, he is confident Singapore can still earn points.

Singapore may not be highly rated, but that does not mean they have no chance. According to Gavin Lee, the pressure from the opponent will serve as motivation for his players to play with more cohesion and solidity at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

"Pressure is a privilege for us. We like being in a situation where people expect us to achieve something (points). We will face it with resilience," said coach Gavin Lee.

He added: "While we want to block out the external noise, we also want to live up to everyone's expectations. If we do that, we will create new memories."

Gavin Lee also assessed that the Singapore team has shown clear improvement in form. After matches against Cambodia and Timor Leste, he noticed that Ilhan Fandi and his teammates are playing with increasing cohesion and effectiveness.

"In terms of performance, this match was much better than the one against Cambodia. We won many small battles on the field, and that gives the team momentum," coach Gavin Lee continued.

He affirmed: "We need to keep improving throughout the tournament and will enter the match against Vietnam with the same spirit."