Hanoi, 30 July 2026 – Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik has expressed confidence that his side can overcome Singapore when the two teams meet in a crucial ASEAN Cup 2026 Group A fixture at My Dinh National Stadium on July 31.
Singapore currently sit at the top of the group with six points after consecutive victories over Cambodia (2-1) and Timor-Leste (2-0). Vietnam are second with three points, having played one match fewer after sitting out the second round of fixtures. The defending champions opened their campaign in emphatic fashion with a 7-0 win over Timor-Leste.
With a full week to prepare following that dominant victory, Kim believes his players are ready for what promises to be one of their toughest group-stage tests.
“This will be a difficult and highly competitive match,” Kim said at Thursday’s pre-match press conference. “However, we have prepared well both physically and mentally, so we are confident that we can achieve a victory.”
The South Korean coach was also asked about the pressure of defending Vietnam’s ASEAN Cup title while maintaining the team’s reputation and entertaining style of play. Kim admitted expectations are high but insisted his primary focus remains on the continued development of his players.
“There is certainly pressure, but what matters most to me is seeing the players improve through every training session and every match,” he explained. “The key is turning that pressure into confidence on the pitch. Every game is difficult, and we must approach each one as if it were a final.”
Kim stressed that Vietnam have no intention of taking a cautious approach against Singapore, especially with home support behind them.
“This is a home match, and we cannot afford to step back. We want to show our opponents the mentality of defending champions by playing with determination, courage and confidence.”
History favors Vietnam in this fixture. The Golden Star Warriors have won nine, drawn nine, and lost four of their previous meetings with Singapore. Their most recent defeat came in the 1998 Tiger Cup final, when defender Sasikumar scored the famous winning goal to hand Singapore a 1-0 victory at Hang Day Stadium.
More recently, Vietnam have enjoyed the upper hand, remaining unbeaten in the last five meetings with three wins and two draws. The latest encounters came in the ASEAN Cup 2024 semifinals, where Nguyen Xuan Son and Nguyen Tien Linh inspired a 2-0 away victory before combining again in the return leg at home to help Vietnam secure another convincing win.
Despite that impressive record, Kim warned against complacency, insisting that past results will count for little when the teams meet again.
“We want to continue our good record against Singapore, but to do that we have to focus on the present rather than the past,” he said. “Singapore have improved significantly. They have quality players such as Song Ui-yong, Kyoga Nakamura, Shawal Anuar, and Ilhan Fandi. We need to defend well against players who are in excellent form. I believe we can extend our unbeaten run if we perform to our ability.”
Looking ahead, Kim acknowledged that squad rotation may become necessary with another demanding fixture against Indonesia scheduled for August 3. Nevertheless, his immediate priority remains securing all three points against Singapore.
“Of course we have to think about managing the squad because Indonesia is our next opponent, but right now our full focus is on Singapore,” Kim said. “We have had a week’s rest, and we want the players to give everything to win this match. After that, we’ll focus on recovering as quickly as possible and preparing for Indonesia.”
A victory over Singapore would put Vietnam in a strong position to qualify for the ASEAN Cup 2026 knockout stage while reinforcing their status as one of the tournament favorites to successfully defend their regional crown.
VSN/RPT
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