On top of the rankings

The Cambodian national team in Macau; [Back row, LtoR] Rithy, Sopanha, Mic, Laboravy, Piseth, Borey [front row] Tiny, Raksmey, Pancharong, Sothearath, Sokumpheak

Stop Press....The Cambodian national football team rock up to 154th place in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola world rankings, their highest-ever placing. Jumping twelve places, they reached a peak since the rankings were introduced in 1993, following their AFC Challenge Cup success over Macau. Not that it really means diddly-squat because it's what happens on the field that really matters, but as they approach the AFC Challenge Cup Group C games in the Madives from 21-25 March, they are now the 2nd best-ranked team in the group and as such are on course to qualify for the finals in early 2012, as one of the two qualifiers from each of the four groups. On paper at least. Here are their games in the AFC Challenge Cup later this month, with rankings and dates of the matches in brackets; Maldives (161st, 21 Mar), Tajikistan (148th, 23 Mar) and Kyrgyzstan (174th, 25 Mar).