Lions believe in bid to accomplish Asean Cup mission in Vietnam

As the Lions lick their wounds, Singapore’s national football coach Tsutomu Ogura wants his players to be fearless when they attempt to do what no team have ever done at the Asean Championship – overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit in the knockout stage.

Ahead of the Dec 29 second leg of their semi-final tie against Vietnam at the 20,000-seater Viet Tri Stadium in Phu To, he compared the two-legged affair to a game of two halves.

“We finished the first half in Singapore, it’s about how we prepare for the second half. Zero-two is a dangerous score. If we score one, who knows what could happen?”

On Dec 26, Singapore conceded twice in stoppage time of the first leg at the Jalan Besar Stadium, despite putting up a creditable display against their world No. 114 opponents, who are ranked 46 places higher.

Understandably, the mood in the dressing room post-match and on the flight to Vietnam the next day was sombre, as the players reflected on the loss, which featured controversial video assistant referee decisions at both ends.

Defender Safuwan Baharudin said: “We took the game to them and deserved at least one goal. I’m proud of our performance, but that’s not enough because football is about results and we owe that to the fans.”

Midfielder Hami Syahin added: “It’s hard to lose with a performance where we felt we did well. We matched the vibrant atmosphere, fed off the fans’ energy and tried to go for the win. So, it’s definitely disappointing.

“The decisions of the referee were not within our control. Now that game is over and we look forward to the second leg.

On their chances of making the final of the tournament, also known as the Mitsubishi Electric Cup, Hami said: “It’s a difficult job, but it’s not an impossible job.

“We will go out there with full belief, and in full throttle to get the win, because that’s all that matters.

“The boys believe that we can do it.”

While they have improved over the course of the tournament – from unconvincing wins over Cambodia and Timor-Leste to gallant displays in the 4-2 loss to Thailand and 0-0 draw in Malaysia – the Lions will need to end their two-game goal-less streak.

But that will not be easy against a Vietnam side who have conceded just twice in five matches.

Furthermore, Singapore have not beaten Vietnam since a 1-0 win in the 1998 final, when it was known as the Tiger Cup.

But the Lions have shown they are capable of comebacks under Ogura, rebounding from two goals down for a 2-2 draw with China in a World Cup qualifier in March and overcoming a 1-2 deficit to beat Myanmar 3-2 in a friendly in November.

The 58-year-old Japanese said: “Against Vietnam, there were good and bad moments.

“There were spells when we were not afraid to play our football, but I always ask how many minutes we can play our own football. That is our problem.

“There is not only one reason (for the loss). Maybe some players don’t have enough stamina, maybe some players lose concentration.

“Against Thailand, it was like this also, but when we played against Malaysia, we kept going and we finished at 0-0.”

The Lions will welcome Japanese-born playmaker Kyoga Nakamura back from suspension, as the players work to make set pieces count, having failed to score from any of their 24 corners in the competition.

While forwards Faris Ramli and Taufik Suparno have staked their claims for starting places after positive displays as second-half substitutes in the first leg, Ogura is keeping his cards close to his chest.

He said: “It is important for us to recover physically, because the next game will be our sixth game in three weeks.

“I have never used the same starting line-up in this tournament, and we will prepare mentally and physically, and pick the best players with good condition for the next match.”

Skipper Hariss Harun, meanwhile, is staying positive ahead of the daunting task.

“Throughout the campaign, not only in this game, we have shown if we believe enough in ourselves, we can achieve something,” said the 34-year-old. “This tie is played over two games, we have to believe that it’s not over.”

In the other semi-final, the Philippines stunned Thailand in added time of the first leg in Manila on Dec 27 to take a 2-1 lead to the second leg in Bangkok on Dec 30.

• Additional reporting by Deepanraj Ganesan