Singapore: Vietnam earned the advantage in the semi-finals of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024 thanks to a late 2-0 win over Singapore in Thursday’s first leg at Jalan Besar Stadium.
Singapore had the lion’s share of possession - as much as 70% - but couldn’t find a way through a battling Golden Star Warriors side.
In something of a smash-and-grab win, Nguyen Tien Linh crashed home a 100th-minute penalty before a second goal came in the 103rd minute through Nguyen Xuan Son.
Vietnam’s Khuat Van Khang registered the first shot of the match, lashing a half-volley towards goal from the edge of the box but his effort bounced wide.
Vietnam thought they’d scored with nine minutes on the clock but the flag was raised for offside immediately after Nguyen Thanh Chung had spun and turned the ball in from point-blank range.
Singapore started the strongest, looking the most purposeful when trying to breach the Vietnam box but the Vietnamese were defending well and the Lions were a little hurried.
As the match ticked past the half-hour mark, Vietnam’s Bui Vi Hao’s deflected shot checked that Lions goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud was alert. The Lion City Sailors stopper had very little to do up until that point but made a comfortable save.
Vietnam had begun to wake up a bit now and Vi Hao had a dig with a low shot from outside the box but the keeper saved.
But at half time, with both managers cutting frustrated figures on the touchline, and despite the hosts racking up 70% possession, the two teams went in at interval at 0-0.
Vietnam registered the first shot of the second half, Vi Hao again looking to test the goalkeeper from distance but it was another comfortable save.
Singapore had a look at goal shortly after, after Ryhan Stewart had won a free kick in Vietnam’s half, but again the visitors were able to get bodies in the way and prevent Lionel Tan’s shot from making it through.
Stewart’s heavy touch a couple of minutes later betrayed him after receiving a clever pass around the corner from Shawal Anuar and the chance was gone.
By the time the 52nd minute arrived, Vietnam had managed just 82 passes to Singapore’s 220 but the latter were limited to long-range shots.
Singapore sought to change that when taking Stewart off and bringing on Faris Ramli just shy of the hour mark. Stewart had been a threat down the left but Singapore boss Tsutomu Ogura wanted something different.
A penalty shout in the 80th minute when Faris was fouled by Ho Tan Tai gave Singapore fans hope of a breakthrough but, after a long VAR check, play carried on, before Vietnam had another goal chalked off in the 83rd minute, this time through Xuan Son for handball.
The second half went much in the same way as the first with Singapore largely in control and camped in the Vietnam half. But deep into stoppage time, Vietnam won a penalty through Xuan Son who’d forced a handball out of Vu Van Thanh.
Up stepped Tien Linh to convert a 100th-minute spot kick to give Vietnam the first-leg advantage, sending the keeper the wrong way.
Xuan Son finally got the goal he’d so desperately wanted, finishing from close range with 103 minutes on the clock.
The two teams will lock horns again on Sunday for the second leg in Viet Tri with the Lions looking for a pride-restoring win to reach a first ASEAN Championship final since 2012. For Vietnam, a positive result would mean back-to-back finals and the chance to secure a third title and first since 2018.
Share now
