Having lost 3-1 to Sabah FC of Malaysia in their opener, Kraljevic’s second half intervention earned the Singapore side a morale-boosting win.

“I'm delighted with the entire performance,” said head coach Kraljevic. “Although we didn't dominate, we had our chances and defended well, causing them problems with our attacks—particularly in the second half when we pushed more players forward.

“The turning point was the change in formation, and I was confident we could win the game from the second half onwards. Scoring the first goal was crucial.”

Player of the match Djordje Maksimovic was ecstatic with his two goals with the forward already looking ahead to their next match against PSM Makassar of Indonesia.

"It's incredible,” said Maksimovic of his brace against Hai Phong. “Hai Phong are a strong team, but we arrived with a specific goal, and I'm pleased we achieved it. 

“Winning our first game was fantastic and our fans were outstanding. Scoring goals is part of my job; every game is a must-win for us. Despite some ups and downs, let's shift our focus to the next game and continue improving."

Hai Phong head coach Chun Dinh Nghiem was disappointed his side couldn’t defend their lead.

“We struggled with the pitch conditions as we are used to playing on natural grass,” said Chun. “However, our only hope is to do better in our upcoming matches.

“Despite losing today, we still have three points from our win from Matchday One. We still have a fighting chance to qualify into the next round. The players need to improve and convert chances.”