Live press conference of coach Kim Sang-sik: Vietnam team wins 2-0 but still has to be cautious

Dramatic match like a movie
In the last minutes of extra time, we lost by 2 goals. Football turns out to be more than a 90-minute game. Vietnam and Singapore both had their chances. Vietnam took advantage of them and punished Singapore. That was the difference between the two teams.
This match was also very dramatic. I felt like I was watching a movie. From VAR, to disallowed goals, to penalties. The match lasted too long, almost 15 minutes of extra time, making the Singapore players tired and lose concentration.
Singapore still has a chance to reach the final
My players also lacked the experience to prevent the second goal. I told my players after the first half that if we could keep the score at 0-0 until the end of the second half, we would be confident for the second leg of the semi-finals. The most important thing now is for the players to focus on recovering in time to regain their fitness for the second leg. The semi-finals are still going on, they are not over yet. We still have a chance to reach the final.
"I think Xuan Son's goal is valid"
There were some difficult moments but we knew how to overcome them. Today was a well-deserved victory for our team.
In the situation where the goal was not recognized, I approached him and told him to stay calm and work, and if necessary, check VAR. I said the same to Xuan Son. He was resilient and determined from the beginning of the match, very eager. I think that goal was legal, the ball bounced off his chest.
Xuan Son's goal was not recognized.
Vietnam won the AFF Cup 2018 but that was 6 years ago. Now, we have to play well in the return match and try to achieve our goal. The AFF Cup has never been an easy tournament. We need to be highly focused.
"I accept the referee's decision"
I accept the referee's decision. The Vietnamese and Singaporean teams gave their best in this match. Both teams had a hard time. Now it's time for us to prepare and be careful for the return match. The Vietnamese team did not concede a goal and I am satisfied.
Singapore is very strong in counter-attacking and Vietnam struggled to stop them. As for Dinh Trieu, he made no mistakes and is improving. He did very well today. Coach Lee Won-jae helped the goalkeepers a lot.
I don’t have much to say about the referee’s decision to disallow Xuan Son’s goal. Although I regret Xuan Son’s missed goal, I think we need to respect the referee’s decision. Even though the referee’s decisions were not as expected, the players still kept their determination to the end to get a good result.
Win 2-0 still have to be careful
"The Vietnamese team could not adapt to both the weather and the field. We had difficulties in the first half. In the second half, I made some adjustments to personnel and tactics, and the Vietnamese team played better, especially towards the end of the match.
The Vietnamese team won thanks to the players' efforts and concentration until the end. Even though we won 2-0, we still have to be careful when preparing for the return leg, " said coach Kim Sang-sik.
Singapore 0-2 Vietnam
Similar to the match against the Philippines on artificial turf, the Vietnamese team played cautiously and prioritized solidity. Singapore had 67% ball possession but the home team did not create any dangerous attacks in the first half. The number of shots on goal of the Vietnamese team was not more than the opponent.
After a goalless first half, coach Kim Sang-sik adjusted the lineup early in the second half. However, the changes did not help the Vietnamese team improve their playing style.
Vietnam team 2-0 Singapore
Coach Kim Sang-sik's players put pressure on the Singapore defense at the end of the match, causing the defense to falter. Xuan Son was not skillful, but his strength helped the Vietnamese team get a penalty in the extra time of the second half. Nguyen Tien Linh did not miss the opportunity to score.
Not stopping there, the Vietnamese team consolidated their advantage before the second leg with a goal by Xuan Son right before the match ended. The 2-0 away win helped the Vietnamese team expand their chances of reaching the final of the AFF Cup 2024.
Watch Asean Championship Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 live and in full on FPT Play, at: http://fptplay.vn.
Coach Kim Sang-sik answers press conference
Coach Kim Sang-sik participated in the press conference first.