Hanoi, 24 September, 2025 – After a painful 1-2 defeat to Pathum United despite holding a numerical advantage, Hanoi Police FC faced mounting pressure to deliver a result in their second ASEAN Club Championship group-stage match. On the evening of September 24 at Hang Day Stadium, they finally secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Dynamic Herb Cebu of the Philippines.
Both teams entered the clash desperate for points after losing their opening matches — Hanoi Police FC against Pathum United and Cebu against Tampines Rovers. Backed by a stronger squad featuring five foreign imports (Hugo Gomes, Vitao, Stefan Mauk, Leo Artur, Rogerio Alves) and two overseas Vietnamese players (goalkeeper Nguyen Filip and midfielder Cao Pendant Quang Vinh), the hosts were widely expected to dominate.
Despite Hanoi Police’s attacking intent, Cebu were not easily subdued. The visitors pressed well in midfield, forcing the Vietnamese side to funnel possession out wide and attempt aerial deliveries into the box. With a tall defensive line, Cebu’s backline successfully nullified most crosses aimed at Alves and other forwards. At the same time, Cebu threatened sporadically on the counter with long balls into the space behind the high defensive line of Hanoi Police FC.
The hosts looked set to break through in the 42nd minute when a defensive error gifted Alves a clear one-on-one chance, but the Brazilian inexplicably chipped wide of the open goal. Moments later, Hanoi Police thought they had won a penalty after a Cebu defender blocked Stefan Mauk’s pass with his arm. However, following a VAR review, the referee ruled the handball unintentional and overturned the decision, leaving the first half goalless.
The urgency increased after the break as coach Alexandre Polking’s men threw numbers forward, targeting crosses into the penalty area. In the 60th minute, Alves’ close-range effort was denied before Gomes missed the rebound. Three minutes later, Vitao’s cut-back set up Nguyen Dinh Bac, whose shot was parried into the path of Nguyen Van Do, but he failed to find the net from a promising angle.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the last minute. A set-piece from the right flank caused chaos in the Cebu box, and Cao Pendant Quang Vinh reacted quickest to slam home the decisive strike from close range. His match-winning contribution earned him the Man of the Match award. Speaking afterward, Quang Vinh admitted Cebu had made life extremely difficult for the hosts but praised his teammates’ resilience in grinding out three crucial points.
The 1-0 victory gave Hanoi Police FC their first points in Group A, lifting them into third place behind Pathum United and Tampines Rovers. For Polking’s men, the result was less about style and more about survival — and keeping their continental campaign alive.
Hong Phuc
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