Coach Kim Sang Sik: 'Vietnam national team enjoys an advantage in rest days'

Coach Kim Sang Sik acknowledged that Vietnam benefits from more recovery days compared to Singapore and confirmed that the entire team will concentrate on beating Singapore before considering the Indonesia game.

At the pre-match press conference against Singapore, Coach Kim Sang Sik stated: "This is a very crucial match. The Vietnam team urgently needs a win to continue their title defense campaign."

Although this is a tough match, we have prepared meticulously and set our sights on victory. We hope fans will come to My Dinh Stadium in great numbers to support the Vietnam team.

Vietnam's historical head-to-head record against Singapore is excellent. We will strive to extend our unbeaten run.

Compared to two years ago, Singapore has improved significantly. I and the players have been working together recently, aiming to perform well and secure a victory over Singapore.

Entering this tournament with the mission of defending the championship, we do not view it as pressure but rather turn it into motivation.

Playing at home with the strong support of the fans, the Vietnam team will leverage this advantage to pursue a win.

The Singapore team arrived in Vietnam only two days ago, while Vietnam has had a full week of preparation. That is our edge.

The Vietnam team will concentrate on the match against Singapore first, then address the away fixture against Indonesia, including the physical recovery of the players.

Vietnam's coaching staff have observed Indonesia's and Singapore's matches and have prepared thoroughly. However, at this moment, we are solely focused on the Singapore game.

Regarding tactics, I cannot reveal them yet. However, if we need to conserve energy for certain players, I may consider using Dinh Quang Kiet."

Forward Dinh Bac shared: "The Vietnam team has spent a week preparing for the match against Singapore. Through training sessions and team meetings, the entire squad has worked very hard."

The Vietnam team aims to win in order to build psychological momentum for the away trip to Indonesia four days later.

Football is a team sport. Collective strength is paramount, not just for me, Hoang Hen, or Xuan Son. The whole team is well-prepared for the match against Singapore.

Personally, I am ready for the match. After scoring a hat-trick against Timor Leste, expectations are high. But for me, the victory of the Vietnam team is the most important goal. The entire squad is fully focused on this task."