Coach Polking expressed surprise at CAHN's 0-3 forfeit loss in the Asian Cup.

Coach Polking shared his candid thoughts following the AFC's penalty against CAHN in the 2025/26 AFC Cup.

"We don't blame anyone else, but a match has to be decided on the pitch, not off the pitch," coach Polking said at the press conference ahead of the rematch against Tampines Rovers in the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16.

"I really don't like things like that. We should have done better. It's our fault, I don't deny it," the CAHN captain added.

Coach Polking stated that before the match, CAHN Club fully participated in technical meetings, worked with the organizing committee, and received reports confirming the players' eligibility to play. Both SRogerio Alves Dos Santos and Stefan Ingo Mauk were confirmed as eligible to play, but the organizing committee added a note saying, "Please check yourself, we are not responsible."

Coach Polking is unhappy with the AFC's penalty.

"If, the day before the match, the AFC or anyone else knew that the player was ineligible, and just one person voiced their opinion, things would have been different," Coach Polking asserted.

Previously, the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee issued a decision regarding the match between CAHN FC and Tampines Rovers FC in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26 Round of 16, which took place on February 11th at Hang Day Stadium. Accordingly, the Vietnamese representative was handed a 0-3 defeat for fielding two ineligible players.

Accordingly, two players, Rogerio Alves Dos Santos and Stefan Ingo Mauk, despite being suspended (having received a third yellow card in Hong Kong's 0-1 loss to Tai Po), were still registered to play by CAHN. This violates the tournament's regulations and rules.

Having already lost 0-3, CAHN needs to win by a margin of 4 goals in the second leg to advance. Coach Poking affirmed that CAHN will fight with all their might to secure a place in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, midfielder Quang Hai said: "We went onto the field with the highest level of determination, showing our character, the spirit of Vietnamese players and the Vietnamese people."

The CAHN vs Tampines Rovers match will take place at 7:15 PM on February 18th (the second day of the Lunar New Year).

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/hlv-polking-noi-dieu-bat-ngo-khi-cahn-bi-xu-thua-0-3-o-cup-chau-a-2491282.html