Hanoi, 15 February 2026 – Hanoi Police FC, coached by Alexandre Polking, are facing the risk of being handed a 0–3 forfeit defeat after fielding two ineligible players in their AFC Champions League Two Round of 16 first-leg victory.
Their dominant 4–0 win over Tampines Rovers is now under threat of being overturned following reports from ESPN journalist Gabriel Tan. The club reportedly violated competition regulations by playing Stefan Mauk and Rogerio Alves, both of whom were suspended.
According to AFC regulations, Mauk and Alves had each accumulated three yellow cards during the group stage, with their third bookings coming in the final group match against Tai Po. This meant both players were required to serve a one-match suspension in the next fixture — the Round of 16 first leg against Tampines Rovers.
Despite this, both players were included in the starting lineup. Mauk completed the full 90 minutes, while Alves played 64 minutes and even scored to extend the lead to 3–0. Their participation could significantly increase the likelihood of disciplinary action against Hanoi Police FC.
Speaking to the media, coach Alexandre Polking acknowledged the situation. He emphasized that the issue was not due to bad luck, but rather responsibility. “What we need to do now is fight and beat them again,” Polking stated, confirming that his team would focus fully on preparing for the second leg against Tampines Rovers at Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore on February 18. He stressed that off-field matters would not distract the team from their objective.
If officially handed a 0–3 forfeit loss, Hanoi Police FC would need to win the return leg by at least a three-goal margin to keep their hopes of advancing alive.
A similar situation occurred last season, when Singapore’s Lion City Sailors benefited from an opponent’s rule violation. Despite losing 1–6 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the quarterfinal first leg, the Japanese club was later penalized with a 0–3 forfeit after fielding an unregistered player, Valere Germain. Lion City then secured a 1–1 draw in the second leg, advancing with a 4–1 aggregate victory and eventually finishing as runners-up in the AFC Champions League Two.
VSN/RPT
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