AFC brings great news for CAHN ahead of their rematch with Tampines Rovers

In the second leg of the ACL2 round of 16, CAHN will be able to count on the duo Stefan Mauk and China following their AFC sanctions.

Before the crucial rematch in the AFC Champions League Two round of 16 for the 2025/26 season, Hanoi Police Club received positive news as foreign players Stefan Mauk and Rogerio Alves (China) are permitted to return to play.

According to confirmation from the Asian Football Confederation, these two have completed their one-match suspension due to accumulating three yellow cards during the group stage. This means they are fully eligible to participate in the second leg against Tampines Rovers.

The return of Mauk and Alves is seen as a vital boost to the police team’s attacking strength, especially as coach Alexandre Polking’s squad faces a very challenging task.

In the first leg at Hang Day Stadium, CAHN had originally won 4-0 on the field. However, due to fielding two ineligible players, the Vietnamese club was handed a 0-3 forfeit loss, along with financial penalties and a reduction in financial support from the tournament organizers.

Heading into the second leg, the V-League representative must secure at least a four-goal margin victory to overturn the deficit or win by three goals to push the match into extra time. In this context, the readiness of the two key foreign players to return is expected to inspire confidence for CAHN’s comeback effort.

Coach Mano Polking and captain Quang Hai have both affirmed that CAHN will compete with strong determination to secure a spot in the tournament quarterfinals.