CAHN (Hanoi Police FC) have booked a historic place among Asia’s leading clubs after defeating Adelaide United 2-0, a victory coach Mano Polking called a source of pride for Vietnamese football.
CAHN coach Mano Polking celebrates his team’s historic victory and qualification for the AFC Champions League Elite. Photo: CAHN
CAHN coach Mano Polking hailed his side’s historic qualification for the AFC Champions League Elite after a 2-0 playoff victory over Adelaide United, calling it a source of pride and an opportunity for Vietnamese football to grow by competing against Asia’s best.
“This is a very special victory for me personally and for CAHN,” Polking said after the match in Australia. “We understand the importance of competing in Asia’s biggest club competition, particularly for a team from Vietnam.
“Over the past two years, the team has developed very well together and remained united to achieve what we have today. This victory demonstrates the tremendous fighting spirit of the entire team in a very challenging match.” he added.
Despite playing away from home and missing several key players, CAHN entered the game with confidence and determination. Adelaide United initially enjoyed more possession and put the Vietnamese side under pressure, but Polking’s players gradually settled into the match and proved dangerous in transition.
Adelaide came close in the ninth minute when Muniz sent a free kick narrowly wide of Nguyen Filip’s post.
CAHN responded by pressing higher up the pitch and competing on even terms with the Australian side. Their persistence was rewarded in the 41st minute.
Koko produced a perfectly weighted through ball for David Henen, who accelerated beyond Adelaide’s defense before finishing past goalkeeper Smits to give CAHN a 1-0 lead.
Polking acknowledged that his team had been under pressure early in the match.
“The opposition moved very well and caused us plenty of difficulties in the opening stages,” he said. “We were under a little pressure and could not control the game immediately. But the opening goal helped the players relax and made our opponents begin to rush.”
CAHN took their one-goal advantage into halftime before adopting a more disciplined defensive approach in the second half.
Adelaide pushed higher and pressed deep inside CAHN’s half in search of an equalizer, but the Vietnamese club maintained its defensive structure.
Goalkeeper Nguyen Filip produced a crucial save in the 54th minute, denying a powerful effort from Goodwin before Adelaide sent the rebound over the crossbar.
CAHN then struck again on the counterattack in the 64th minute.
This time, Henen returned the favor to Koko, delivering a low ball from the right for the forward to finish first-time and double the visitors’ advantage.
“In the second half, we deliberately dropped deeper, maintained a mid-block and tried to minimize their opportunities,” Polking said. “The second goal from a counterattack gave us a huge boost in confidence and helped us protect the result.”
Adelaide increased the tempo and pressure as the match entered its closing stages, but struggled to find a way through CAHN’s organized defense.
The Australian side resorted to long-range attempts as the clock ran down, while Nguyen Filip made another important intervention in stoppage time to keep the clean sheet intact.
From the stands at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Vietnamese supporters could be heard chanting encouragement as CAHN closed out the 2-0 victory.
The result sent the reigning V-League champions into the League Stage of the 2026/27 AFC Champions League Elite, marking a historic achievement for the Hanoi club and Vietnamese football.
CAHN will compete in the AFC Champions League Elite for the first time. Photo: CAHN
CAHN accomplished the feat despite being without several key players, including Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Dinh Bac, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Le Pham Thanh Long, Le Van Do and Doan Van Hau, who were away with the Vietnam national team at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.
Polking said CAHN’s leadership had emphasized before the game that qualification carried significance beyond the club itself.
“Before the match, the club’s leadership met and stressed the importance of this competition to the standing of Vietnamese football,” he said. “We will have to face Asia’s leading clubs. Although the squad includes many new players who have only been together for a month, I am very proud of how quickly they have integrated, connected and fought for a common goal. Every match ahead is now a major opportunity for us to prove ourselves.”
Qualification will put CAHN up against some of the strongest clubs in Asian football, a challenge Polking believes can accelerate the team’s development.
He said playing stronger opponents from countries such as Japan, South Korea and China would provide invaluable experience for his players.
“When you compete against stronger opponents from Japan, South Korea or China, that is the best opportunity for us to learn and improve,” Polking said. “If you want to get better, you have to face the best. We are not only representing a club. We are also representing the image of Vietnamese football on the Asian stage.”
Vietnamnet.vn
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