Co-hosts Singapore and their neighbours Malaysia, winners of the last two editions of the AFF Suzuki Cup, must avoid defeat in their next Group B matches on Wednesday to be guaranteed of staying alive in the Southeast Asian tournament.
Singapore lost 2-1 to Thailand on Sunday night after 10-man Malaysia struggled to a 0-0 draw with unfancied Myanmar.
It means that both nations will be desperate for maximum points in their next games. The Malaysians play top-of-the-table Thailand while the defending champions face their old coach in Raddy Avramovic and Myanmar.
And then on Nov. 29, there will be a potential winner-takes-all clash between the two arch rivals in their final Group B match.
Malaysia will play Thailand without midfielder Gary Robbat after his red card before half-time against Myanmar. But they are expected to have former captain Safiq Rahim fit after the Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) man made a successful comeback from injury in the second half of Sunday's match at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Singapore coach Bernd Stange took the precaution of substituting influential Baihakki Khaizan at half-time after the veteran defender received an early yellow card and then narrowly escaped a second booking.
"I didn't want to finish this game against Thailand with 10 players," Stange said. "It's a long tournament and I would have finished this game with 10 players and Baihakki would be suspended for the next match."
Singapore looked headed for a creditable draw against the fancied Thais until an 89th minute penalty by Thailand's Swiss-born midfielder Chappuis Charyl after Singapore defender Safuwan Baharudin handled in the box.
"It is very difficult to come back against a team like Thailand but it was amazing to see how our team performed till the very end," Stange said. "It was very unlucky [the penalty against Safuwan] and I think we deserved a draw."
There can be no such slip-up for four-time champions Singapore as they face the dangerous Myanmar on Wednesday.