Not only Xuan Son shines
Contrary to the doubts before the ASEAN Cup 2024 took place, fans are dreaming of the championship of the Vietnam National Team when Nguyen Xuan Son appeared. Two goals, two passes for teammates to score were enough for Xuan Son to affirm his class and give great confidence to coach Kim Sang-sik as well as his teammates.
However, it must be emphasized that the Vietnam team will hardly be able to win the championship if they only rely on Xuan Son. The match against Myanmar is considered a test of how the Vietnam team will perform with and without this naturalized striker. An experienced coach like Mr. Kim Sang-sik understands that it is necessary to reduce the team's dependence on Xuan Son.
When the player born in 1997 officially entered the field, the surrounding personnel options gradually emerged. The Vietnam team really needed strikers to support Xuan Son well, ready to penetrate the penalty area when there was an opportunity. In the previous match, Bui Vi Hao and Nguyen Van Toan completed their assigned tasks well. Only luck helped Myanmar not lose in the first half.
But in Singapore, Van Toan was absent due to a ligament injury and will likely miss the rest of the 2024 ASEAN Cup. Meanwhile, Bui Vi Hao had 1 goal and 1 assist but he still seemed to lack the breakthrough of a winger. It is rare that Binh Duong's young talent creates enough pressure.
Coach Kim Sang-sik still has Pham Tuan Hai and he will push Quang Hai higher than usual. Hoang Duc will return to play with Doan Ngoc Tan - who provides balance to the midfield of the Vietnam team.
Don't be subjective about Singapore
On the sidelines of the semi-final, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) lost hundreds of millions of dong because it had to cancel its pre-booked tickets to Malaysia and find another flight to Singapore. This reflects exactly what happened in Group A. Few people thought that a team without three key players like Irfan, Ikshan and Ilhan Fandi would play so well.
This year’s Singapore team is not the best version of themselves. But under the leadership of “captain” Ogura Tsutomu, Singapore has become a very dangerous counter-attacking machine. The team from the lion island does not need to play many rhythms of the ball, just a long pass from the home field, Glenn or Anuar can turn a seemingly harmless move into a goal.
Singapore made everyone wary with their defensive discipline. But when Singapore got tired, they exposed many gaps - which Xuan Son could exploit.
Coach Ogura and his team may be stuck against weaker teams, but counter-attacking against strong opponents is their forte. Vietnam's victory over Myanmar is a warning bell for all opponents. Singapore will definitely focus all their energy on defense and wait for situations to change quickly before scoring.
However, coach Kim Sang-sik's usual caution will help the Vietnamese team stay safe. Playing with concentration and providing enough balls for Xuan Son to work, the Vietnamese team is capable of winning the match right on the away field.
The match between Vietnam and Singapore in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2024 semi-final will take place at 8:00 p.m. on December 26 at Jalan Besar Stadium.
Expected lineup:
Singapore team: Izwan Mahbud, Ryhan Stewart, Amirul Bin Azmi, Lionel Tan, Irfan Najeeb, Kyoga Nakamura, Shah Shahiran, Faris Ramli, Hami Syahin, Glenn Kweh, Shawal Anuar.
Vietnam team: Nguyen Dinh Trieu, Vu Van Thanh, Do Duy Manh, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Van Vi, Doan Ngoc Tan, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Quang Hai, Pham Tuan Hai, Nguyen Xuan Son.
