On the morning of December 23, the Vietnam national football team boarded a flight to Singapore to prepare for the first leg of the 2024 ASEAN Cup (AFF Cup) semifinals against the host nation.

At 7:00 AM, the Vietnamese squad gathered at Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) with high spirits, buoyed by their strong performance in the group stage. Vietnam topped Group A with three wins and one draw, earning a spot in the semifinals.

The team will hold three training sessions in Singapore before the match on December 26 at 8:00 PM at Jalan Besar Stadium.

Jalan Besar features an artificial turf surface, where Vietnam previously faced Singapore in the 2022 AFF Cup group stage, ending in a 0-0 draw.

Among the players, Nguyen Xuan Son garnered significant attention at the airport.

The 27-year-old forward delivered an outstanding performance in the 5-0 victory against Myanmar, scoring a brace and providing an assist, earning the Man of the Match award.

Xuan Son expressed determination to continue contributing to the team’s success in the upcoming clash against Singapore.

Injury updates: Goalkeeper Nguyen Filip lost his starting position to Dinh Trieu in the recent Myanmar match, marking a shift in the lineup. Striker Van Toan, sidelined with a ligament injury, will miss both semifinal legs. However, he joined the team in Singapore for further medical evaluations.

The Vietnam squad, led by Coach Kim Sang Sik, aims to build on their momentum as they face a tough opponent on unfamiliar turf.

With strong team morale and standout performances from key players like Xuan Son, Vietnam hopes to secure an advantage in the first leg of the semifinals.