Hanoi, 31 July 2026 – Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik admitted his disappointment with Nguyen Dinh Bac’s performance after replacing the in-form forward at halftime during Vietnam’s goalless draw with Singapore in Group A of the ASEAN Cup 2026 on Friday night at My Dinh National Stadium.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities, Vietnam were unable to find a breakthrough against a disciplined Singapore defense. The defending champions finished with 22 shots compared to Singapore’s 12, but failed to convert their superiority into goals, leaving more than 31,500 home supporters frustrated after the team’s emphatic 7-0 victory over Timor-Leste in the opening match.
Much of the pre-match attention had been on Dinh Bac following his hat-trick against Timor-Leste. However, the 22-year-old endured a difficult evening, squandering two clear chances in the opening half and often appearing rushed in front of goal. Rather than choosing the simpler option, the striker attempted ambitious finishes, while his tendency to drift centrally also limited the space available for fellow forward Nguyen Xuan Son.
Kim responded by making a bold tactical decision, substituting Dinh Bac at halftime and introducing naturalized striker Nguyen Tai Loc.
“Based on everything we prepared, Dinh Bac didn’t perform the role we expected today,” Kim said during the post-match press conference. “I know he’ll be disappointed, especially after gaining confidence from the opening match. But every player in this squad has to be willing to sacrifice for the good of the team.”
The South Korean coach also defended Tai Loc, who was unable to inspire a winning goal after coming off the bench.
“I think Tai Loc performed well after coming on. The only thing missing was a goal,” Kim explained. “He was unfortunate as well, with the crossbar denying him. I believe both Tai Loc and Dinh Bac will respond positively and deliver stronger performances against Indonesia.”
Although Vietnam controlled much of the match, Kim acknowledged that his players struggled to execute their high-pressing game while also praising Singapore for playing through the pressure effectively.
“Singapore were very good at escaping our press,” he said. “At the same time, we weren’t aggressive enough when pressing high up the pitch.”
Kim also suggested that the convincing victory over Timor-Leste may have had an unintended psychological effect on his players.
“The big win in our opening match gave the players confidence, but perhaps it also created extra pressure. At times they became too eager, rushed their decisions, and lost composure. We’ll review the match together and make the necessary adjustments before the next game.”
Vietnam relied heavily on crosses throughout the contest, but Nguyen Xuan Son was largely isolated by Singapore’s well-organized back line. Only late in the second half did Kim alter his tactical approach by introducing Thanh Long for Quang Hai and pushing Hoang Duc into a more advanced role, though the changes came too late to change the outcome.
Even so, Kim stood by his tactical decisions.
“It’s true that we delivered many crosses because Xuan Son was being closely marked, but that’s part of football,” he said. “I also decided not to substitute Quang Hai earlier because we needed him to maintain the team’s structure. As captain, his leadership on the pitch was important until the closing stages. Our coaching staff will continue analyzing today’s performance and work on improving the areas where we fell short.”
The draw extended Vietnam’s unbeaten run against Singapore to 28 years, dating back to the 1998 Tiger Cup final, when Singapore claimed a 1-0 victory at Hang Day Stadium. Since then, Vietnam have recorded nine wins and ten draws against the Lions.
However, the result leaves Vietnam in third place in Group A with four points from two matches. Singapore remain top with seven points from three games, while Indonesia sit second on six points from two matches.
Vietnam will now turn their attention to a crucial away fixture against Indonesia on August 3, a match that could prove decisive in the race for a place in the ASEAN Cup 2026 knockout stage.
VSN/RPT
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