CAHN loses Alan Grafite ahead of rematch against Beijing Guoan.
Alan Grafite suffered an ankle injury, will be out for about two months and will miss the 7:15 PM match on November 27th; CAHN has 5 points from 4 matches, needs points to compete for qualification, Hoang Viet Anh returns.
Hanoi Police will host Beijing Guoan at 7:15 PM on November 27th at Hang Day Stadium without their key striker Alan Grafite. The Brazilian forward suffered an ankle injury after the defeat against Macarthur FC on November 6th and is expected to be out for about two months, posing an urgent attacking challenge for coach Mano Polking's team in the race to advance from the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26.
Injury at a sensitive time.
Grafite suffered an ankle injury after a collision in the match against Macarthur FC on November 6th, and will be out of action for about two months. This means he will miss the rematch against Beijing Guoan – a game where CAHN needs points to maintain their hopes of advancing. After 4 rounds, the capital city team has 5 points and has lost its advantage due to the defeat in Australia.
Tactical gap at number 9
Grafite has been the centerpiece of the attacking system since the beginning of the season. He plays the role of a central striker, holding up the ball, drawing defenders, and controlling the tempo, thereby creating space for supporting players like Quang Hai, Phan Van Duc, or Leo Artur to move around. Without this anchor, CAHN faces the risk of a decline in their ability to fix the attacking axis, reduced ability to draw defenders to create space, and a loss of rhythm when building up play in the final third of the field.
The challenge for coach Mano Polking is to adjust the attacking structure in the second half of the season: redistributing roles in movement, space occupation, and passing channels to compensate for the lack of a striker who can retain possession and create link-up play for the team.
The situation in Group E and the strength of the defense.
CAHN is currently second in the group with 5 points from 4 matches. The first leg against Beijing Guoan ended in a 2-2 draw, giving the Vietnamese team more data on their opponent's strength. Ahead of the rematch, a positive sign is that center-back Bui Hoang Viet Anh has returned to training and is ready to play, promising to strengthen the defense in the context of a depleted attacking line.
Selective statistics
| Index | Value |
|---|---|
| Next match | CAHN vs Beijing Guoan, 7:15 PM on November 27th, Hang Day Stadium |
| Alan Graffiti's condition | Ankle injury, will require approximately 2 months of rest. |
| V.League 2025/26 (by Alan) | 8 goals, 2 assists in 7 matches |
| Group E after 4 rounds | CAHN is second in the table with 5 points. |
| First leg vs Beijing Guoan | Draw 2-2 |
Pressure to achieve high scores and the need to adapt.
Without a striker to act as the pivot in their attack, CAHN must adapt quickly if they want to maintain their competitive momentum. Redistributing responsibilities to the attacking midfield group and maintaining a tight defensive organization – with Viet Anh's return – are necessary conditions for the capital city team to overcome this period of personnel shortages and continue their pursuit of qualification.