The problem named after Nguyen Xuan Son
After two matches for the Vietnam national team, Nguyen Xuan Son has shown his superiority in skills and ability to create pressure on the attack. He has scored 3 goals and 2 assists at the ASEAN Cup 2024.
Even if he was luckier, he could have scored more than 1 goal against Singapore. In the first leg, the opposing defenders still could not find a way to effectively mark Xuan Son. On the contrary, the more Singapore focused on Xuan Son, the more easily they would leave gaps for the Vietnamese team's strikers to exploit.
The 27-year-old striker brings a breath of fresh air to coach Kim Sang-sik's team and it will not be easy for Singapore's defense to deal with Xuan Son at this time.
Psychological problems
Singapore have been dominating possession, averaging 54% possession since the start of the tournament. They often start games with a high spirits, but have been unable to maintain it throughout the 90 minutes.
Coach Tsutomu Ogura's players lost focus at the end of the second half. In both of their most recent matches, Singapore conceded four goals in extra time against Thailand and Vietnam.
Playing at Viet Tri Stadium with a large Vietnamese audience will be a big test for Singapore's mentality. The visitors from the Lion Island are also in a position of having to chase, so they are at an even greater disadvantage mentally.
Potential threat from counterattack
In the first leg, Singapore also had bright spots in their play when they constantly put pressure on their opponents to commit fouls. There were situations where Vietnamese players made mistakes due to unfamiliarity with the artificial turf of Jalan Besar Stadium.
One such loss of the ball would have helped Taufik Suparno come close to scoring in the 68th minute if it weren't for a brilliant save from goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu.
Counter-attacks soon after gaining possession in midfield also created opportunities for Shawal Anuar and his teammates. Those moments showed that Singapore can still cause trouble for Vietnam. But anyway, playing on a better grass surface, Kim Sang-sik's team can overcome the problems of the first leg.
