ACL Two Pre-Match Press Conference | vs Công An Hà Nội

It is only half-time, and the story is far from over. The second half beckons for The Stags as they resume their AFC Champions League (ACL) Two Round of 16 clash with Công An Hà Nội in a highly anticipated second-leg showdown at Jalan Besar Stadium. Previous encounters may suggest a mountain too steep to climb, but if there is one thing we know about Tampines, it is this: they have always made the comeback greater than the setback.

Undefeated leaders in V.League 1 this season and reigning Vietnamese National Football Cup champions, Công An Hà Nội (CAHN) have earned their accolades through the ruthless, high-quality football they have produced all campaign long. Tampines were first-hand witnesses to that strength earlier in February, suffering humbling defeats across two difficult encounters.

But there is a reason why The Stags have come this far. Driven by sheer grit, relentless determination, and belief that refuses to fade, Tampines have never been a side to surrender to the odds. Now, with the trilogy of clashes reaching its decisive chapter, The Stags will be fighting to turn the tide, finish on top, and book their place in the Quarter-Finals.

Here are all the details from the pre-match press conference with Interim Head Coach Robert Eziakor and Koya Kazama: 

On Game Preparations

Robert Eziakor: We will prepare as per normal. We won’t think about the outcome of things that are beyond our control. But what is in our control is that we will go out there tomorrow to play the game, and try to get a good result.

Koya Kazama: Both games (that we played against CAHN) were very difficult. But we have a lot of confidence because it will be a home game. I have a good feeling playing at Jalan Besar Stadium.

On Lessons from Previous Losses

Robert Eziakor: At this point of time, what we need to do is to avoid conceding goals like how we did in the past two games (against CAHN). At the same time, we will need to score more goals, and we are looking forward to that. We will make it difficult for them with home ground advantage.

On Drawing Performances from the ACL Two Group Stages

Robert Eziakor: Mentally, we are very strong (as seen in previous performances in the Group Stages). We will not let past results (against CAHN) affect us. We are committed, and we look forward to a good fight.

On Style of Play

Robert Eziakor: We will focus on defending better to reduce their chances of scoring, and create more scoring opportunities. Hopefully, we will get it right this time around.

The Stags vs CAHN - Online ticket sales for tomorrow’s ACL Two Round of 16 (Leg 2) fixture against Công An Hà Nội (18 February 2026) are available on SISTIC! On-site assistance for e-ticket purchasing via SISTIC website will be made available and will start 2 hours before Kick-Off (6:15PM) at the Ticketing Booth located at the North entrance of Jalan Besar Stadium. Prefer to watch from home? Catch Our Stags LIVE on meWATCH. For the latest updates, head over to the club’s official social media platforms.