My tips for the semis

Can 19-goal Khuon Laboravy lead PKR to success on Saturday?

The Hun Sen Cup semi-finals will be held this coming weekend with the two big guns, Preah Khan Reach and Naga Corp battling it out on Saturday (5 March) at the Olympic Stadium at 3pm. Though Preah Khan have been whacking in the goals, notably in the form of Khuon Laboravy and his personal tally of 19, in the previous rounds, I just have a sneaking feeling that the old hands at Naga will have the edge over the PKR young guns. Players like Om Thavrak, Meas Channa, Pok Chanthan and Teab Vathanak will not lie down easily and let the likes of Chea Samnang and Suon Veasna run the show. PKR will have their own veteran, Sam El Nasa, back for this game but my money is on Naga to progress. But hey, what do I know.
In the other semi, Phnom Penh Crown's conquerors in the last round, Build Bright United take on the Army on Sunday (6 March), also at 3pm. The military boys won't want to let go of the cup they won last season, but I reckon they will find it hard to put one over the students of BBU. They've got their tails up now and the Army, I think, will come out 2nd best unless Phuong Soksana has a stormer and their new keeper Oum Vichet plays a blinder. What is it with the Army and their production line of great keepers; Vichet played on Sunday and looked completely assured, whilst their other top-rated stopper Sou Yaty kept the bench warm. And don't forget they had Samreth Seiha as well last term even though he seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth this season, which is a crying shame as I've rated him the number 1 keeper in the country for the last three years.
Licking their wounds after their defeat against BBU last Saturday, Phnom Penh Crown will meet one of the other beaten quarter-finalists, Prek Pra, in a friendly match at Crown's Tuol Kork training HQ at 3pm on Sunday 6 March. Crown will be looking to put the reverse behind them as they get ready for the new Metfone C-League season that is due to start in early April, though no fixture list has been forthcoming just yet.