Dinh Bac faces trouble at the beginning of the year, risking losing his achievements if he is handed a forfeit by the AFC.

Hanoi Police FC's victory over Singapore in the AFC Champions League Two brought joy, but that goal is now in danger of being disallowed.

According to ESPN Asia journalist Gabriel Tan, a serious error in the card management process could cost coach Mano Polking and his team dearly. Specifically, two key players, midfielder Stefan Mauk and striker China, were deemed eligible for suspension but still played in the first leg of the round of 16.

The aforementioned match witnessed an impressive performance from the Vietnamese team. They controlled the game, launched relentless attacks, and scored four goals. Young striker Dinh Bac also contributed with a crucial goal. Notably, China was the one who increased the score to 3-0, virtually ending their opponent's hopes in the first leg.

However, according to disciplinary data from the AFC, both Stefan Mauk and China have accumulated three yellow cards during the group stage. Based on Article 59.1.1 of the tournament regulations, any player who receives a yellow card in three different matches will be suspended for the next match. This is a mandatory rule and does not depend on the importance of the match.

A notable point lies in the mechanism for clearing yellow cards in the knockout rounds. According to the rules, only players who receive a maximum of two yellow cards in the group stage will have their cards cleared in the knockout rounds. In the case of Mauk and China, who have already reached three yellow cards, the suspension remains in effect and must be served in the first match of the round of 16. This means that their presence in the starting lineup is a serious violation.

If the AFC confirms the violation, the consequences for Hanoi Police FC will be severe. According to established practice and precedents in continental tournaments, the offending team could be handed a 0-3 defeat, regardless of the actual result on the field. In that case, the 4-0 victory would be completely nullified, putting the Vietnamese representative at a significant disadvantage before the second leg.

This scenario is not unprecedented. Last season, Sanfrecce Hiroshima defeated Lion City Sailors 6-1. However, due to fielding striker Valere Germain while he was still serving a suspension, the Japanese team was subsequently handed a 0-3 defeat. This decision shocked Asian football and served as a costly lesson regarding player disciplinary review.

Returning to the case of Hanoi Police FC, if a penalty is imposed, not only will the team's professional results be affected, but its reputation and image will also suffer significantly. In continental competitions, administrative errors are usually dealt with very strictly to ensure fairness and transparency.

Currently, the AFC has taken notice of the incident and is reviewing the match records and reports from relevant departments to reach a final conclusion. The official ruling is expected to be announced early next week, just before the second leg match takes place at Jalan Besar Stadium (Singapore) on February 18th. This timing of the announcement will further increase the psychological pressure on coach Mano Polking and his team.

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