Head Coach Mano Polking: Hanoi Police FC determined to beat Kyoto Sanga

Assessing the upcoming encounter with the Japanese side, Hanoi Police FC head coach Mano Polking said the match would be an important one for his team’s campaign in continental competition. Following their victory over Shanghai Port in the previous matchday, CAHN have gained confidence and are determined to make the most of their home advantage to secure a positive result.

“After beating Shanghai Port, we still have hope of progressing to the next stage, and achieving that would be fantastic. This will be CAHN’s second home match in the AFC Champions League Elite. I hope the whole team will put in a good performance against Kyoto Sanga and secure a victory as a gift to our supporters,” Mano Polking said.

The CAHN coach also acknowledged the challenges posed by limited preparation time and the players’ physical condition amid a congested fixture schedule. Following their away match against Song Lam Nghe An in the V.League, the team have had only one training session to prepare for the visit of Kyoto Sanga. The coaching staff will work closely with the medical team to assess the players’ fitness before selecting the most suitable line-up.

Speaking about their opponents, Mano Polking expressed his respect for Kyoto Sanga and highlighted the strength of Japanese football. He noted that facing several J.League representatives in the league stage presented a major challenge for CAHN. Kyoto Sanga are a club with a long history and a squad combining quality domestic and foreign players. Therefore, despite their relatively modest position in the domestic league, CAHN must prepare thoroughly and maintain a high level of concentration.

Also attending the press conference, midfielder Le Van Do said the team were fully focused on preparations for the match and targeting a points return against the Japanese side.

“This is an important match for CAHN. My teammates and I are fully focused on our preparations. Our objective is to earn points against Kyoto Sanga,” Le Van Do said.

Reflecting on the previous match against Kashima Antlers, the CAHN midfielder said the team needed to learn from that experience, particularly in terms of maintaining concentration throughout the match. He also stressed his personal determination to give his best in every situation and contribute to the team’s objectives.

On the opposing side, Kyoto Sanga FC head coach Ranko Popovic described CAHN as a team with several quality attacking players who possess good pace. He said the Japanese side had been making progress with each match and were targeting all three points at Hang Day Stadium to maintain their positive momentum in continental competition. He also declined to reveal too much about the team’s preparations in order to avoid giving their opponents insight into their tactical approach.

The match between Hanoi Police FC and Kyoto Sanga FC will kick off at 19:15 on 3 November 2026 at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi, as part of Matchday 4 of the 2026/27 AFC Champions League Elite league stage.