Lesson learnt

Khim Borey (yellow bib) is inches wide with this effort against AEU this afternoon

In this afternoon's practice match at the RSN Stadium in Tuol Kork, Phnom Penh Crown beat the students of the Asia Euro University 4-1, after it was tied at 1-1 at the half-time break. Crown used 23 players during the match in order to give their trialists a taste of the action. Sok Pheng opened the scoring after just five minutes with a simple tap-in and then Mak Theara, in the AEU goal, pulled off one of a few good saves to deny Kouch Sokumpheak. AEU equalised on 11 minutes with an effort that looked suspiciously offside but was ruled good by the match officials. Khim Borey, pushing forward from midfield, missed a couple of guilt-edged opportunities and then Theara pulled off another great stop to deny Sok Pheng before the break. In the 2nd half, Crown rang the changes and two goals were scored by one of the club's trialists, on 60 and 70 minutes, both of the goals were neat finishes. Hong Pheng, fresh from his recent run-out in training for the Cambodian U-21 squad, out-fought a defender and lashed in a 15-yard effort on 72 minutes to complete the scoreline. In the starting line-up for Crown, only five players were with the club last season (Dara, Tiny, Sok Pheng, Borey, Sokumpheak), and another six from last term joined the fray in the 2nd half (Sovan, Sophanal, Vanthan, Hong Pheng, Rathanak, Sochivorn). The remainder, amongst the 23 players used, were all new additions or trialists. The club will announce its new signings at a pre-season press conference next month.

Hong Pheng (yellow bib) takes evasive action as the AEU keeper clears