Pressure is on the champs, no us, says Calisto

HANOI (16 Dec 2008) – The pressure to win will not be on hosts Vietnam but rather on defending champions Singapore when the two open their challenge in the semi-finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008 at the My Dinh Stadium tomorrow night.
  

Vietnam national coach Henrique Calisto said that even though they will be playing at home, the pressure to deliver will be on the visitors as they will come into the game as the defending champions.
  
“I believe that the pressure will not be on us as we have already fulfilled our initial target, which was to be among the best four teams in this competition,” said Calisto. 
  
“No one gave us a chance of making into the next round but we did it and it is because of that, the team is more relaxed and they will go into the match with a sense of enjoyment. 
  
“We want to win of course as the last time Vietnam made the final was ten years ago. And if we can do that, then it will be sensational.” 
  
Calisto said that for the moment, the team is on the right track although as far as who will be in the frontline, remains a mystery as he is ‘still thinking about it.’ 
  
He said that there might be positional changes to their game where after the group matches and the fact that they will have limitd number of players to alternate with, trying out players in different positions are a possibility. 
  
“The team have grown since the last two matches we played against Singapore (0-0 in Hanoi and then 2-2 in Singapore),” added Calisto. 
  
“We have passed that phase and now, even though we respect Singapore, we are not afraid to take them on.”