Coach Kim Sang Sik: "The Vietnamese team has one foot in the final"

(Dan Tri) - With a 2-0 victory in Singapore, coach Kim Sang Sik said that the Vietnamese team has one foot in the final of the AFF Cup 2024. However, he warned his players not to be complacent tomorrow.

"The schedule for the AFF Cup 2024 is quite dense. The players are highly focused, we would like to thank the fans for cheering on the team. We are determined to play well in tomorrow's match," Coach Kim Sang Sik shared his determination about the preparations of the Vietnamese team before the second leg of the semi-final against Singapore. In the first leg in Singapore on December 26, the Vietnamese team won 2-0 thanks to goals by Nguyen Tien Linh and Nguyen Xuan Son in extra time. With this victory, the Vietnamese team will have a big advantage when the two teams meet again in the second leg of the semi-final at 8:00 p.m. on December 29 at Viet Tri Stadium ( Phu Tho ).

Coach Kim Sang Sik is cautious before the second leg of the semi-final (Photo: Tuan Bao).

With the victory in the first leg of the semi-finals, coach Kim Sang Sik emphasized that although the Vietnamese team has the advantage, this score is still not safe and tomorrow's match will not be easy. "We won 2-0 in the first leg and have one foot in the final. However, this score is still not safe. Tomorrow's match is not easy but the Vietnamese team will try their best when playing at home," said coach Kim Sang Sik. The Korean strategist also expressed modesty when talking about his success and emphasized the important role of the players in this journey. He shared: "Some people say I am successful but this is just the starting point of a long journey. My players support me, it is an honor. The Vietnamese team has come a long way not thanks to me but thanks to the players." Coach Kim Sang Sik emphasized that the 2-0 score is not a safe advantage for the Vietnamese team. He said that in addition to focusing on defense, the team will play their best to achieve the best results. "Playing at home, we will try our best and respond to the fans' love," Coach Kim Sang Sik shared, expressing the team's determination to bring joy to Vietnamese football fans.

Coach Kim Sang Sik and Do Duy Manh attended the press conference before the match (Photo: Tuan Bao).

Sharing about the performance of the Vietnamese team against Singapore in the first leg of the semi-final, coach Kim Sang Sik said: "In the first half, we could not score against Singapore. In the second half, the Vietnamese players played better". At the AFF Cup, the Vietnamese team has not scored in the first half after 5 matches, coach Kim Sang Sik's team often exploded in the second half with 13 goals scored. Coach Kim Sang Sik also emphasized the importance of analyzing and understanding the opponent's attack style: "We analyzed and understood the attack style of Singapore and their players. Hopefully, the Vietnamese team will counter the opponent's high-quality long balls".

Duy Manh affirmed that he is not subjective even though Vietnam has the advantage (Photo: Tuan Bao).

Attending the press conference before the match, player Do Duy Manh shared about the spirit and determination of the Vietnamese team. He emphasized: "No match is easy, the players need to focus and follow the tactics set by the coaching staff. The Vietnamese team will try their best to get good results". The Vietnamese team has an advantage after a 2-0 victory in the first leg of the semi-final, but the captain of the Vietnamese team is not complacent, he shared: "Many people will think that tomorrow's match with Singapore will be easy, but we don't think so. Fans lined up to buy tickets to enter the stadium, we understand the affection that fans have for the team. We will focus on the immediate goal, which is tomorrow's match, not the final. Every task needs to be completed. The fans are the support for us to play well tomorrow".

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-kim-sang-sik-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-da-dat-mot-chan-vao-chung-ket-20241228104828853.htm