Lions midfielder Kyoga Nakamura at the pre-match Press Conference, 28 December 2024.
PHU THO, 28 DECEMBER 2024 – Trailing 2-0 from the first leg and expecting a stadium packed to the rafters with opposition fans, the odds seem stacked against the Singapore Men’s National Team as they travel to face Vietnam in the second leg of their ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup semi-final tie on Sunday, 29 December.
But these circumstances do not faze the Lions, as they are prepared to leave it all on the pitch to keep their dreams of reaching the finals alive.
“Both the experienced and younger players carry the same energy – they want to rewrite history for Singapore football. We are not coming to Hanoi as tourists – we are here to focus on our football,” said Lions Head Coach Tsutomu Ogura.
With the tight schedule between last Thursday’s first leg and Sunday’s return fixture, Ogura wasted no time in getting his side back to work. Players who were not involved in the match immediately took to the pitch for a training session after the final whistle blew at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Upon arriving in Phu Tho, the Lions also participated in another training session at the Viet Tri Stadium to familiarise themselves with the pitch and weather conditions.
His side has been given a timely boost with the return of playmaker Kyoga Nakamura, who was suspended from the first leg after picking up two yellow cards in the group stages.
Determined to make an impact, the 28-year-old believes the Lions will channel their frustrations from the first leg into the momentum needed to overturn the score.
“Watching the game from the stands helped me understand Vietnam’s strengths and weaknesses. I am ready to make a difference on the pitch tomorrow,” said Kyoga.
“After the game, nobody was happy – we were all angry and frustrated because we lost the game in Singapore. But this is a good thing for us as this energy will help us to change something on the pitch. We will use all of these emotions to help us in tomorrow’s game.”
Lions Head Coach Tsutomu Ogura at the pre-match Press Conference, 28 December 2024.
All eyes will once again be on Vietnam’s newly-naturalised striker, Nguyen Xuan Son. The Brazilian-born striker was key to his side’s first-leg victory – winning a penalty and scoring the decisive goal.
But Ogura refused to focus solely on the forward, despite the 27-year-old emerging as a clear threat with three goals and two assists in just two games.
“Vietnam have good players and they are a tough opponent as a team. We need to attack and defend as a unit in order to protect against their entire team,” explained Ogura, who added that Xuan Son’s few opportunities in the first leg came from good individual play.
Overcoming a two-goal deficit against a strong Vietnamese side may seem like a tall order, but Ogura firmly believes that nothing is over till the referee blows his final whistle.
“We need the goals tomorrow, but it was also the same case in the first leg. There are 90 minutes plus added time to be played, so maybe we can score the three goals that will help us qualify for the final,” said the Japanese tactician.
“We must remember that the tie is only finished when the 90 minutes plus additional time is over. That is very important.”
In the other semi-final played on Friday, 27 Dec, the Philippines stunned defending champions Thailand 2-1 at Manila’s Rizal Memorial Stadium. The second leg of the fixture will be played at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on Monday.
Sunday’s second leg between the Lions and Vietnam will be screened at various community facilities around Singapore, as well as on Mediacorp’s mewatch.
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
