After the fourth matchday, Vietnam leads Group A with 7 points, level with Singapore, but holds a superior goal difference (+10 compared to +3). Indonesia trails by one point, sitting in third place. Meanwhile, Cambodia and Timor Leste have already been eliminated from the competition.

In the final matchday on 7/8, Vietnam will host Cambodia, while Indonesia will play away against Singapore.

Theoretically, Vietnam could face elimination if they suffer a heavy defeat to Cambodia, and Singapore loses to Indonesia. This scenario would unfold if Singapore loses 0-1 to Indonesia, and Vietnam loses 0-9 to Cambodia. In such a case, Indonesia would lead the group with 9 points. Singapore would be tied with Vietnam at 7 points, but would advance due to a better goal difference of +2 compared to Vietnam's +1.

However, this outcome is almost unthinkable. Cambodia has lost all eleven previous matches against Vietnam and has never scored more than two goals in these encounters. Vietnam's skill level remains higher, and they have greater motivation against a Cambodian team that has already been eliminated.

Coach Kim Sang-sik's team also aims to finish first in Group A to secure two key advantages. First, topping the group would allow them to avoid the winner of Group B, which is likely Thailand. Second, the Group A winner would host the second leg of both the semifinals and the final on home soil.

Vietnamese midfielder Le Pham Thanh Long (8) plays in the 3-0 victory over Indonesia in the fourth match of Group A, ASEAN Cup 2026, at Pakansari Stadium, Bogor, Indonesia, 3/8/2026. Photo: Duc Dong

Vietnam only needs to defeat Cambodia to almost certainly secure the top spot in the group, given their strong goal difference. Singapore, on the other hand, faces a challenging task to achieve a significant victory over Indonesia. If Vietnam wins 1-0 against Cambodia, Singapore would need to beat Indonesia by at least 8-0. While history records Singapore defeating Indonesia 8-1 in 1986, recent encounters tell a different story. In their last five matches since 2012, Indonesia has won three, drawn one, and lost one, scoring 8 goals and conceding 5.

Should Vietnam draw with Cambodia, they would still require Singapore to also draw with Indonesia to maintain their position at the top of the group.

The last time Vietnam was eliminated in the group stage was at the AFF Cup in 2012, the predecessor to the ASEAN Cup. In the period from 2014 to 2024, Singapore reached the semifinals two times, in 2020 and 2024, while Indonesia advanced to the semifinals in 2016, 2020, and 2022.

Overall, Vietnam and Thailand lead the competition with 13 group stage advancements. They are followed by Malaysia and Indonesia with 10 advancements, Singapore with 7, the Philippines with 5, and Myanmar with two. In the last four tournaments, Vietnam and Thailand have each reached the final three times, with each team securing two championships.

Vietnam also has the opportunity to achieve their fourth tournament without conceding a goal in the group stage, following their clean sheet performances in 2000, 2018, 2020, and 2022.

Match highlights: Vietnam's 3-0 victory over Indonesia.

Hieu Luong