Coach Polking explains the reason why Nguyễn Filip had to leave the field

Goalkeeper Nguyễn Filip experienced a relapse of his injury and exited the match at minute 72 in the 1-1 draw between CAHN and Macarthur FC on October 23rd.

On the evening of October 23rd, Vietnamese-German goalkeeper Nguyễn Filip unexpectedly left the pitch at the 72nd minute in the 1-1 draw between CAHN and Macarthur FC in the third round of Group E of the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26 at Hàng Đẫy Stadium. At that time, the home team was leading by one goal, making Coach Mano Polking’s decision to substitute the goalkeeper surprising to fans, as goalkeepers are rarely replaced mid-match, especially when things are going well.

In the post-match press conference, Coach Polking clearly explained the reason for the substitution: "I had to replace Filip because he was having issues with his leg. Two days before the match, Filip still felt pain. I talked to him about the importance of the game and tried to persuade him to play, but the more he played, the more pain he felt. By the 72nd minute, Filip no longer felt confident to continue, so I decided to take him off."

Right after Filip left the field, young goalkeeper Vũ Thành Vinh came on, and just 5 minutes later, the home team conceded an equalizer from a corner kick. Defender Uskok jumped high to head the ball, which hit the underside of the crossbar and went into the net, leaving the CAHN defense helpless. This goal resulted in the home team only securing one point, losing the chance to win this crucial match.

Coach Polking expressed his regret: "This was an important match, and we really needed a win. However, the team missed the opportunity to get closer to the knockout stage. I know Macarthur FC is very dangerous on set pieces, but we failed to control them well."

Nguyễn Filip’s injury has caused concern about his availability for the Vietnamese national team’s November training camp preparing for the match against Laos. Previously, during the October camp, the Vietnamese-German goalkeeper born in 1992 was also absent, but recently he has been regaining his usual form. If the injury is serious, it will be a significant loss for CAHN, especially in the important upcoming matches.

After this match, CAHN remains unbeaten with 1 win and 2 draws, leading Group E with 5 points. The chasing teams Tai Po (Hong Kong) and Macarthur FC (Australia) both have 4 points, while Beijing Guoan (China) sits at the bottom with 2 points. The next round will take place on November 6th, with CAHN visiting Australia to face Macarthur FC again.