HLV Gavin Lee: 'It would be dangerous if we only chased the result'

Singapore coach Gavin Lee will guide his team into the return leg of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 semifinal against Thailand in Bangkok, eager to fix errors from the first leg, which forced the Lions to confront a challenging mission against the seven-time champions.

A late goal by Ilhan Fandi reignited hope for Singapore to stage a comeback against the hosts at Rajamangala Stadium, but coach Lee insisted his team would not recklessly push forward in search of the goals needed to overturn the deficit after a 1-3 home loss in the first leg on Saturday.

"I think as a collective, we are fully aware of the current situation, the scoreline, and the result we need to achieve.

But I think it would be dangerous if we only focused on chasing the result, because in football, things don't always go your way, and if things don't go smoothly, it only creates unnecessary pressure.

In the end, it's important that we refocus on what we can control, and that's what we do on the pitch.

We were not satisfied with the team's performance in the first leg, and the good thing about this tournament is that we have a chance to do it again. Tomorrow, our goal is to step onto the pitch and deliver a better performance—one good enough to take us to the next round. So that will be our focus tomorrow," coach Gavin Lee said in the pre-match press conference.

Singapore lost the first leg despite dominating possession for most of the match at Jalan Besar Stadium. A brace from Teerasak Poeiphimai and a second-half goal from Seksan Ratree gave coach Anthony Hudson's side a three-goal lead before Ilhan pulled one back.

However, coach Lee wants his players to make better use of their long periods of possession if a similar scenario to the first leg in Singapore occurs in the return match.

"I'm not someone who cares too much about statistics, but people told me we dominated Thailand in possession. So the question is: why did we still concede so many goals despite having that much possession?

That's a question we need to find an answer to, and we talked about it tonight. This is an opportunity for us to improve a little more in shutting the door at the back, while also creating more chances for ourselves up front."

Meanwhile, Ilhan believes the entire team has enough desire to turn the situation around.

"Not because of the fans," he said about the motivation driving the team forward. "First and foremost, it's for ourselves, to prove it to ourselves.

Yes, we are trailing by two goals, but we have the ability to turn things around. Then comes the fans. We are very grateful for their support and all that.

I've said many times that you have to motivate yourself. This is a semifinal. You can't lack motivation, even if you're down 0-2, because if you step onto the pitch thinking you can't turn it around, you might as well stay home.

That's my view. And I know this group of players feels the same way," said Ilhan, who has scored four goals in the tournament.