Singapore's ASEAN Championship campaign ended on Sunday, Dec 29, after a 1-3 defeat to Vietnam at the Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho. This result left the Lions eliminated on a 1-5 aggregate, following their 0-2 loss in the first leg in Singapore last Thursday.
Early Drama and VAR Decisions
The Lions started brightly, with Lionel Tan's long throw causing havoc in Vietnam’s penalty box. Faris Ramli appeared to have scored, heading the ball into the net, but a VAR review disallowed the goal for offside after Shawal Anuar’s initial header.
The first half’s turning point came just before the break when VAR intervened again, ruling that Lionel Tan had pulled Nguyen Xuan Son in the box. Initially shown a red card, Tan’s punishment was reduced to a yellow after a lengthy review. Nguyen Xuan Son converted the penalty in the 46th minute, giving Vietnam a 1-0 lead.
Second Half Action
The Lions pushed forward in search of an equalizer but were undone again in the 63rd minute. Nguyen Xuan Son scored his second of the night, finishing from close range amid jubilant celebrations from the home crowd.
Singapore showed resilience, with substitute Hami Syahin setting up Kyoga Nakamura, who curled a shot into the bottom corner to make it 2-1 in the 73rd minute. However, any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in stoppage time when Nguyen Tien Linh converted Vietnam’s second penalty of the game, sealing the 3-1 win on the night and a 5-1 aggregate victory.
First Leg Recap
The Lions' uphill task began in the first leg, where two late goals—a contentious 101st-minute penalty from Nguyen Tien Linh and a strike from Nguyen Xuan Son—left them trailing 0-2.
Vietnam March to the Final
Vietnam, who finished top of Group B with three wins and a draw, now advance to the ASEAN Championship final. They will face either Thailand or the Philippines, with the latter holding a 2-1 advantage after a surprise win in the first leg in Manila.
Singapore’s Campaign in Review
Singapore entered the semi-finals as runners-up in Group A, with two wins, one draw, and a defeat to Thailand. While they showed moments of promise, VAR decisions, penalties, and Vietnam’s clinical finishing ultimately proved decisive.
Vietnam’s solid performances across the tournament make them favorites to claim the title, while Singapore’s exit highlights areas for growth ahead of future competitions.
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