Coach Tsutomu Ogura is confident ahead of the rematch against Vietnam in the second leg, although Singapore must win by at least 2 goals to keep their hopes alive.
Singapore coach confident
The Vietnamese team will face Singapore in the second leg of the AFF Cup 2024 semi-final, taking place at 8 p.m. on December 29 at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho Province). In the first leg, coach Kim Sang-sik's team won 2-0 thanks to goals from Tien Linh and Xuan Son.
That means Singapore must beat Vietnam by 2 goals in the second leg to send the match into extra time, or win by 3 goals or more to get a ticket to the final.
Coach Tsutomu Ogura
PHOTO: ANH DUC
When asked how much chance Singapore has of causing a surprise, coach Tsotomu Ogura of the visiting team affirmed: "I cannot say how much chance Singapore has of surprising Vietnam. I would like to ask Vietnamese reporters how much chance your national team has, or what will surprise us."
According to coach Ogura, the tight schedule at the AFF Cup 2024 will be an obstacle, forcing Singapore to make efforts.
"We only had 2 days to prepare after the first leg match with the Vietnamese team. The Singapore team only practiced yesterday morning, then traveled to Vietnam yesterday afternoon. Today, we had our official practice session. Hopefully the whole team will play well against the host Vietnam," the Singapore team coach emphasized.
'Vietnamese fans love football'
The Singapore team has been to Vietnam once, when they faced Timor Leste at Hang Day Stadium in the group stage (because Timor Leste chose Hang Day as their home ground). However, this match will be very different, when Mr. Ogura and his team face the sweltering heat at Viet Tri Stadium.
Coach Ogura affirmed that the Singapore team came here to fight for a ticket to the final, instead of just sightseeing.
"I don't care about the age of the Singapore team, because all players have the same energy. Experienced players have the same energy as young players. The Singapore team did not come to Vietnam to visit. I know Vietnam has many beautiful landscapes, but we came here to compete. The older players have useful experience to pass on to the younger players. The older players will guide and share with the younger players. They want to show themselves in this match," coach Ogura emphasized.
The Vietnamese team (in white) has a huge advantage.
PHOTO: THUY AN
In the first leg, Xuan Son scored the winning goal in a 2-0 victory over Singapore. Before scoring, the striker wearing the number 12 shirt also had a... super goal that was denied by the referee, along with a number of missed opportunities.
Coach Ogura affirmed: "In the first leg, Xuan Son only had a few clear chances. I don't care about each player, because the whole Vietnamese team has potential. I care about neutralizing the whole team, not an individual. Facing the Vietnamese team is very difficult, but we have prepared for this match."
The Japanese coach added: "We always face pressure, even when playing at home. In Vietnam, people are interested in and passionate about football. Vietnamese football is also developing rapidly. When I was in Japan, I watched Vietnamese football and realized that not only the national team, but also their youth teams are progressing. This achievement comes from the attention of fans. That is very important for Vietnam and football in Southeast Asia.
I hope Singaporean fans are also interested in football and the national team. We still have a chance in the second leg. Singapore wants to go through. In the first leg, the Vietnamese team scored 2 goals in extra time. I want to remind everyone that the match is not just 1 or 2 minutes, but 90 minutes and extra time. Therefore, the whole team must be extremely focused."
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-singapore-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-co-gi-de-chung-toi-bat-ngo-185241228105404574.htm
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