Following the final whistle on the evening of 15/8 at Jalan Besar Stadium, Thailand coach Anthony Hudson initiated a handshake with his Singapore counterpart, Gavin Lee. However, Hudson forcefully pulled Lee's hand towards him, making gestures that clearly expressed his displeasure. The Singapore coach was taken aback, leading to an exchange of words and Hudson pointing fingers at him.

Thailand national team assistant coach Kane Wintersgill had to intervene, raising his hands towards the Singapore side to signal for calm. A Singapore team member also became involved, reacting to the visiting coach's remarks.

Coach Anthony Hudson loses his temper with coach Gavin Lee after Thailand's 3-1 victory over Singapore in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-finals, at Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore on 15/8/2026.

Earlier in the match, a brace from Teerasak Poeiphimai and a goal from Seksan Ratree gave Thailand a 3-0 lead by the 51st minute. In the 84th minute, Ilhan Fandi scored for the hosts, keeping hope alive for Singapore ahead of the return leg.

At the post-match press conference, Hudson admitted to losing his temper. "I was a bit frustrated that some opposing players intentionally played roughly," said the coach, born in 1981. He emphasized the challenge of playing away against a "very challenging Singapore" team that had shown excellent form against Indonesia and Vietnam, stressing that his team could not be complacent.

Hudson discussed the unexpected drop in ball possession during the match. In the group stage, Thailand averaged 60% possession, but this figure fell to 28% against Singapore. This was surprising given Thailand's strength in individual technique and Singapore's tendency towards defensive counter-attacking football. Hudson explained that plans do not always unfold as expected, and his team adjusted to Singapore's strong pressure rather than rigidly adhering to a strategy that might lead to failure.

"The three goals we scored all came from counter-attacking situations. It was not a planned combination but based on the actual developments of the match," Hudson explained. "I adjusted the tactical system to prioritize defense to avoid conceding more goals. Upon returning to Thailand, the team will focus on improving and correcting mistakes, and enhancing performance."

Thailand coach Anthony Hudson thanks the fans after the 3-1 victory over Singapore in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-finals, at Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore on 15/8/2026. Photo: ThailandNT

Coach Hudson affirmed that Thailand should not be complacent despite holding a two-goal lead. He also expressed regret that the team could have scored one or two more goals if they had capitalized better on counter-attacking opportunities.

Meanwhile, Singapore coach Gavin Lee expressed disappointment at his team's inability to deliver a performance and result worthy of their fans' support. In the locker room, the team reminded themselves that if the fans do not abandon the national team, then the players cannot abandon themselves either.

Lee commented, "The goal to reduce the deficit to 1-3 makes the situation brighter. We unnecessarily put ourselves in a difficult position. When opponents have quality players, they will punish you. The Singapore players blame themselves, but they will recover as best as possible and want to correct their mistakes."

The two teams will meet again at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on 18/8. Singapore needs to win by a three-goal margin to advance directly. If they win by a two-goal margin, the two teams will go into extra time and potentially a penalty shootout.

Highlights of Thailand's 3-1 victory over Singapore.

Hieu Luong