Singapore coach: 'We have studied striker Nguyen Xuan Son very carefully'

On the afternoon of December 25, a press conference was held before the confrontation between the Singapore and Vietnam teams in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2024 semi-final.

For 26 years, the Lion Island team has not been able to defeat the Golden Star Warriors in official matches.

To prepare for this match, coach Tsutomu Ogura had very clear calculations. In addition, he also prepared a plan to counter Nguyen Xuan Son.

"After qualifying for the semi-finals, I gave the players a full day of rest. The players returned to training in the last 2 days in top form. What I'm happy about is that no player got injured. Thanks to that, Singapore can focus fully on tactics, looking forward to tomorrow's match.

I know Nguyen Xuan Son. He used to play in Japan. He is a good player. What he showed in his debut match for the Vietnam national team proved that. But football cannot be the story of an individual. Remember, on the field, 11 people play against 11 people. This is a team game," coach Tsutomu Ogura shared.

Also present at the press conference, striker Abdul Rasaq Akeem said: "We are very happy to have reached the semi-finals. Vietnam are a tough opponent but that does not hinder Singapore's spirit. It has been a long time since Singapore has reached the final. If I remember correctly, it must have been since 2012. So, we are ready to enter this competition.

Hopefully, the fans will support and help us. Throughout the past time, Singapore has received support from the audience. Tomorrow will be a very important match. We will continue to receive support from many fans.

As I said, Vietnam is a strong team. After all, football is 50-50. We believe in the coach's strategy, in the ability of our players. Anything is possible. Together, Singapore can get a good result against Vietnam."

Some pictures of the Singapore team's training session: