Dramatic second leg of Vietnam vs Singapore semi-final: Both coaches are cautious

Yesterday, December 28, at the press conference before the second leg of the semi-final, both coach Kim Sang-sik of the Vietnamese team and coach Ogura of Singapore were cautious when mentioning the match result.

First leg of semi-final, Vietnam has the advantage but...

Despite having a 2-0 lead in the first leg of the semi-final, coach Kim Sang-sik still believes that this is not a safe score. "We won 2-0 in the first leg and have one foot in the final. However, the 2-0 score is still dangerous. The Vietnamese team understands that the second leg of the semi-final will not be easy, so we need to prepare and anticipate all problems. We will try our best when playing at home," coach Kim Sang-sik shared.

Coach Kim Sang-sik

Photo: Ngoc Linh

Can coach Ogura surprise coach Kim Sang-sik in the second leg?

Photo: Ngoc Linh

However, Mr. Kim affirmed that the home field will be the fulcrum for the Vietnamese team to defeat Singapore: "We have the support of the fans, so we will fight like we have done to overcome difficulties. We are a team and will try our best for this match."

Commenting on the opponent, the Korean coach said that the Singapore team plays long balls very well, so he wants the Vietnamese team to defend well in long ball situations. "We have analyzed to understand Singapore's attack style. Hopefully the players will be able to counter the opponent. They play long balls very well, so the players need to create pressure on the Singapore field. In the second leg, I will make adjustments to make the Vietnamese team stronger," concluded coach Kim Sang-sik.

Meanwhile, coach Ogura said he could not estimate how much chance his team has of surprising the Vietnamese team. "I can only say that Singapore will try to have a good match," said Mr. Ogura.

In the first leg, the Singapore team surprisingly used an overwhelming attacking style of play when they had 67% possession of the ball compared to 33% of the Vietnamese team. However, two mistakes in the final minute of extra time made them pay the price. Striker Nguyen Xuan Son was directly involved in both situations. However, coach Ogura did not put too much emphasis on blocking Xuan Son in the second leg: "In the last match, Xuan Son only had a few clear opportunities. In general, I do not emphasize that the whole team only focuses on one opposing player, because the Vietnamese team has many other dangerous attacking players." According to the rules of the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), the away goals rule does not apply to the two semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2024. The team that scores more goals after two legs will win the match. Therefore, to reach the final, the Singapore team must win by 3 goals in the second leg, or by 2 goals to equalize the total score, then wait for the opportunity in extra time.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/kich-tinh-ban-ket-luot-ve-viet-nam-dau-singapore-ca-hai-nha-cam-quan-deu-than-trong-18524122823010255.htm