The last time the Vietnamese team lost to Singapore was in 1998, but that was also the most bitter defeat as the red team’s loss occurred in the Tiger Cup final (the predecessor of the ASEAN Cup).
In the Southeast Asian championship alone, the Vietnamese team is not too superior as out of 9 times they met Singapore, they won 3, drew 5, and lost 1. In addition, having to play on the Jalan Besar artificial turf field with a capacity of only 6,000 people, the Vietnamese team promises to face many difficulties in tonight's match.
In theory, the Vietnamese team is rated much higher than Singapore, especially with the appearance of naturalised striker Nguyen Xuan Son. However, playing on artificial turf has never been easy for the "Golden Star Warriors".
Despite playing away, coach Kim Sang-sik did not hide the Vietnamese team's ambition to win. With the format of the match not counting home and away goals, only a victory will help the "Golden Star Warriors" gain an advantage before returning to their home field.
Of course, the nature of the knockout match forces Kim Sang-sik to be cautious. However, it would not be surprising if the Vietnamese team plays an all-out attack in the match.
Nguyen Xuan Son has really brought great confidence to fans and teammates. His 2 goals and 2 assists were enough to create an impressive debut for the Brazilian player.
Xuan Son helps the Vietnamese team to attack more easily with his unique ball handling. Born in 1997, the striker is very strong, fast, and has good technical qualities. He will play the main role.
If Hai Long returns from injury, he will play as an attacking midfielder alongside Quang Hai behind Nguyen Xuan Son. To ensure the solidity of the midfield, Doan Ngoc Tan can pair up with Nguyen Hoang Duc.
The Vietnamese team's defensive framework is likely to see some adjustments. Nguyen Van Vi and Van Thanh are the two full-backs. Bui Tien Dung plays left-sided centre-back, Do Duy Manh plays right-sided centre-back, and the centre of defence is Nguyen Thanh Chung.
The squad is good enough, the players are in good form, the Vietnamese team will play at their best.
The match between Vietnam and Singapore will take place at 8:00 p.m. today (December 26).
