Singapore, 17 February 2026 – Hanoi Police FC head coach Mano Polking delivered an honest and emotional response after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) handed his team a 0–3 forfeit defeat in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16 against Tampines Rovers.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the return leg, Polking took full responsibility on behalf of Hanoi Police FC. However, the Brazilian coach also expressed concern that the way the situation was handled and communicated had negatively impacted what he described as “the beauty of football.”
“I don’t want this to sound like I am always being overly critical or blaming others. We are not pointing fingers at anyone,” Polking said. He emphasized that his comments were not intended to excuse Hanoi Police FC’s mistake, but rather to highlight a broader issue affecting Asian football. “Matches should be decided on the pitch, not off it,” he stressed.
Polking explained that before the match, Hanoi Police FC attended all official technical meetings, coordinated with tournament officials, and received documentation confirming player eligibility. In those reports, players such as Stefan Mauk were listed as eligible, while the section for ineligible players remained blank. However, a disclaimer noted that clubs were responsible for verifying eligibility themselves.
“I don’t like situations like this. If you know something, you should communicate it clearly,” Polking said. He admitted that the club had been informed of its responsibility to verify player status and acknowledged, “We should have done better. It was our mistake, and I accept that.”
At the same time, he pointed out that clearer communication could have prevented such serious consequences. “If someone from the AFC or any official had informed us a day earlier that those players were ineligible, the outcome could have been very different,” he added.
The AFC ruling confirmed that Hanoi Police FC violated regulations by fielding Rogerio Alves and Stefan Mauk, both of whom were suspended after accumulating three yellow cards in the group stage. As a result, the team’s original 4–0 victory on February 11 was nullified, replaced with a 0–3 forfeit defeat. In addition, the club was fined $2,000 and had half of its $80,000 participation grant withheld.
Polking described the incident as “a major lesson and a serious mistake” for Hanoi Police FC. He also noted that a similar situation occurred last season, when Singapore’s Lion City Sailors benefited from an opponent’s eligibility violation. “For the sake of football and the integrity of the game, situations like this should be avoided,” he said.
The Brazilian coach concluded by emphasizing that stronger and clearer communication between governing bodies and clubs is essential to prevent similar incidents. “I don’t like this situation, and if the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t like it either. Football deserves better protection,” he stated.
Following the disciplinary decision, Hanoi Police FC must now defeat Tampines Rovers by at least a four-goal margin in the away second leg, scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on February 18, to advance. Despite the enormous challenge, Polking affirmed that his team “will fight until the very end,” using the setback as motivation to prove their true strength on the field.
David Truong
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