Coach Kim Sang Sik needs to revive the Vietnam national team.

The 0-0 draw against Singapore at My Dinh Stadium not only caused Vietnam to lose their advantage in Group A of the 2026 ASEAN Cup but also put them in a position where they must beat Indonesia at Pakansari Stadium on August 3 if they want to keep their fate in their own hands in the race for a semifinal spot.

That will be the biggest match ofthe Vietnam national teamsince the start of the tournament and also the moment to test the mettle of the South Korean strategist.

Coach Kim Sang Sik once made a strong impression thanks to his calmness, ability to read the game, and positive energy transmitted to his players.

However, the match against Singapore showed a different picture. It felt like the South Korean coach underestimated the opponent as an easy win and was also swept up by the pressure to win, leading to decisions that were not entirely reasonable.

In terms of the starting lineup, after the 7-0 victory over Timor Leste, Coach Kim Sang Sik kept the entire lineup unchanged instead of making frequent changes as before. He expected his players to continue scoring a flurry of goals, settle the match early, and then gradually withdraw key players to conserve energy for the away trip to Indonesia. This was a reasonable calculation, butSingaporewas clearly not Timor Leste.

Singapore entered the match with a disciplined defense, playing deep and barely leaving any space. When Vietnamese strikers repeatedly missed opportunities, impatience began to show on the field and in the technical area.

Coach Kim Sang Sik made early personnel adjustments in hopes of making a difference. However, the more impatient they became, the more stuck Vietnam got. The wasteful crosses in the second half were evidence of that.

Toward the end of the match, a paradox emerged. When Vietnam needed more new options to find a goal,Coach Kim Sang Sikwaited until the 90+2 minute to bring on Thanh Long and Viet Cuong. The remaining time was barely enough for these two players to influence the game.

The image of Coach Kim Sang Sik kneeling on the pitch, clutching his head in regret after his players' missed chances was also a rare sight since he took charge of Vietnam. It was the reaction of a coach who understood that if they didn't beat Singapore, all the pressure would be on the away trip to Pakansari.

But right now, Vietnam needs a calm Coach Kim Sang Sik more than ever. Indonesia is certainly stronger than Singapore. Coach John Herdman possesses quality individuals like Thom Haye, Mitchell Baker, and Ivar Jenner, and also has home advantage with the passionate support of Pakansari fans. If the coaching staff also lets pressure dominate, it will be very difficult to instill confidence in the players.

The most important thing for Coach Kim Sang Sik now is not to think about the pressure to win, but to help his players relieve the psychological burden after the unfortunate draw. In reality, Vietnam still created many chances against Singapore. The problem lies in finishing, not in a complete tactical failure.

The forwards need encouragement rather than additional pressure. Xuan Son needs to regain his confidence, Dinh Bac needs to be bolder in the final decisions, and Quang Hai must reclaim his leadership role in midfield after a match that was not up to his standard.

The match against Singapore drained a lot of energy from the players as they constantly pressed and attacked for 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Indonesia had the advantage of rotating their squad sensibly in the match against Timor Leste and returning home with better physical condition.

Therefore, Coach Kim Sang Sik needs to make reasonable personnel adjustments. Names like Thanh Long or Tai Loc could be given more opportunities to share the load with the key players. More importantly, Vietnam needs to know how to manage their energy throughout the match, rather than going all-out from the start and then running out of steam at the end.

Indonesia is a big challenge, but Vietnam still has the fate in their own hands, and to take advantage of that opportunity, the first person who needs to keep a cool head is Coach Kim Sang Sik.