Goalkeeper Nguyen Filip admitted Cong An Ha Noi FC were given a harsh lesson at the highest level of Asian club football after suffering a 4-1 defeat away to Gamba Osaka in their AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 debut.
Cong An Ha Noi FC made a confident start in Japan and came close to opening the scoring in the 25th minute when Koko Perea’s effort struck the crossbar.
However, the Vietnam champions gradually lost control of the contest and eventually fell to a 4-1 defeat in their first appearance in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Gamba Osaka demonstrated their greater experience at this level and ruthlessly capitalized on mistakes in the Cong An Ha Noi FC defense. The Japanese side’s four goals also highlighted the technical quality and clinical finishing that Cong An Ha Noi FC faced throughout the encounter.
Speaking after the match, Nguyen Filip acknowledged that his team had rarely encountered an opponent capable of playing and transitioning with such speed and efficiency.
“Our club have never faced an opponent with this level of quality on the ball and such sharp transitions. Every mistake we made was punished,” Nguyen Filip said.
However, the Vietnam international goalkeeper felt the final scoreline did not fully reflect how competitive Cong An Ha Noi FC had been, particularly before the break.
“I don’t think the 4-1 scoreline completely reflects the match, especially in the first half, when we deserved a better result,” he added.
Head coach Mano Polking also took positives from his team’s performance despite the heavy defeat, describing the match as a valuable learning experience in Cong An Ha Noi FC’s first outing at Asia’s elite club competition.
“The whole team has the right to be proud because we tried to play football, competed on equal terms, created chances and produced a very good first half at high intensity,” Polking said.
“But the lesson at this level is very clear: if you make mistakes, you will be punished immediately.”
Following their 4-1 defeat to Gamba Osaka, Cong An Ha Noi FC will return home for their next AFC Champions League Elite fixture, hosting Japanese giants Kashima Antlers on October 13.
VSN/RPT
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