ASEAN Cup 2026 Standings: Vietnam Team Drops to 3rd in Group A, Falls into a Difficult Position

A goalless draw with Singapore in the third round of Group A at the 2026 ASEAN Cup has put Vietnam in a tough spot in the battle for a semifinal berth.

Despite remaining unbeaten after two matches, coach Kim Sang-sik's side has only 4 points and temporarily dropped to third place, behind Singapore and Indonesia.

Before the home encounter, Vietnam was expected to beat Singapore to gain an advantage in the race for both advancement and the top spot. However, despite creating many chances, especially in the first half, the red-shirted strikers failed to convert. The goalless draw made Vietnam miss the chance to overtake their rivals.

After three matchdays, Singapore leads Group A with 7 points, a goal difference of +3, but has played all three matches. Indonesia is second with 6 points from two wins and a superior goal difference of +7. Vietnam is third with 4 points and a goal difference of +7 thanks to a 7-0 win over Timor Leste, while Cambodia and Timor Leste have yet to earn any points.

What is worrying is that Vietnam's remaining schedule is very tough. In the next matchday on August 3, coach Kim Sang-sik's team will face Indonesia in a decisive match. If they win, Vietnam will overtake their opponent and take control of their own destiny in the race for the semifinals. Conversely, a defeat would leave the team with only 4 points before the final match against Cambodia.

In that case, even if Vietnam beats Cambodia in the final match, they would only have a maximum of 7 points. Meanwhile, Indonesia would have already secured a spot with 9 points after three straight wins. The worst-case scenario is that Indonesia could use a reserve squad in the final match against Singapore since they have already achieved their goal of advancing past the group stage. If Singapore only needs at least one point against Indonesia, they would finish the group stage with a minimum of 8 points and definitely be above Vietnam. Then, even if Vietnam beats Cambodia, they would still have only 7 points and be eliminated.

In case teams are tied on points after the group stage, head-to-head results will be considered first.

Therefore, the upcoming match against Indonesia is almost like an 'early final'. Only a positive result will help Vietnam continue to hold the fate in their own hands and keep hope alive of finishing in the top two of Group A.