Saturday, January 14, 2012

Saray awry

The starting XI for Cambodia U-21s. Back Row LtoR: PM Udom, Soksana, Sorphea, Saray, Rithy, Chenla. Front Row: Khemarin, Veasna, Sothearath, Pancharong, Chhoeun
Tum Saray will be holding his head in his hands tonight, repeatedly asking the question why he didn't score against Malaysia in this afternoon's international friendly game at Olympic Stadium. He had the best two chances of an otherwise mediocre match but fluffed both of them, leaving the home fans in despair as Malaysia took the only real opportunity that came their way to record a 1-0 victory. It was effectively the Cambodian U-21s, with an eye on the upcoming tournament in Brunei, with a few overage players, against a Malaysian U-23 team, which was fresh from winning the prestigious SEA Games, a successful tour of Australia and who are just about to commence the new season in the Singapore League. It certainly wasn't the Malaysian's best team, due to injuries and left-at-home absentees, but on paper Malaysia are streets ahead of Cambodia at this age-level, so a 1-0 defeat is no disgrace in the circumstances. Malaysia are also warming up for three Olympic Games qualifying matches where they need to win all three to have any thoughts of making the trip to London. That was the background to the match, with Cambodia fielding a team shorn of any Phnom Penh Crown players after the league champions refused to release their players. They came to the match on the back of some practice games against local C-League teams and have two more friendlies against a Korean University team later in the month.

With coach Lee Tae-Hoon needing to pull rabbits out of the hat to satisfy the growing discontent at his abysmal record in charge of the team over the past fifteen months, the Cambodian line-up included three wingers and one of the oldest players in the country, Naga's Neang Chenla, at 32. Malaysia played keep ball from the off, but their defenders looked at sea on a couple of occasions as Phuong Soksana fired a shot across the face of goal and inches past the foot of the far post on 28 minutes. A minute later, Chenla was taken off. Though the visitors looked the more assured in possession, the best sight of goal fell to the home team just three minutes before the break. A poor back-header by Affize Faisal gifted Tum Saray a free run on goal but as he hesitated with the final execution, keeper Izham Tarmizi smothered the ball at his feet. With the crowd still groaning, Malaysia broke quickly and within 19 seconds had the ball in the net for the opening goal. Ferris Danial and Izuan Salahuddin played a neat one-two with each other and the latter fired an unstoppable half-volley past Sar Sophea from close range. The 2nd half was punctuated by numerous substitutions, eleven in total, which disrupted any free flowing football, but again, it was Cambodia who should've registered a goal but failed at the moment of truth. With 14 minutes of the game remaining, Cambodia broke quickly with Ung Dara setting Tum Saray free with a slide-rule pass through the middle. Saray rounded the keeper and rolled the ball towards goal only to see Nazirul Naim arrive from nowhere to hoof the ball clear of the goal-line. It simply wasn't Saray's day and he was replaced moments later. And that was effectively it. Malaysia coasted home to the 1-0 win, didn't look world-beaters by any stretch of the imagination, as their record would suggest, so Cambodia can take heart from that. More decisiveness in front of goal and the home team might've claimed a notable scalp. They didn't and it's more practice matches for the team ahead of the Brunei invitational tournament in late February.
Cambodia U-21 line-up: Sar Sophea, Touch Pancharong (Nen Sothearoth), Khek Khemarin, Neang Chenla (Moul Daravorn), Sok Rithy, Chhun Sothearath, Suon Veasna (Ung Dara), Prak M Udom (Teab Vathanak), Chhin Chhoeun (Sophal Udom), Phuong Soksana, Tum Saray (Nov Soseila). Subs not used: Sou Yaty, Um Vichet, Chhin M Seang, Plong Chanthou, Chan Vathanaka, Pov Phearith, Phang Dara, Say Piseth.
Lining up for the Cambodian national anthem
The Cambodian substitutes before the game
The Malaysian U-23 starting line-up

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Andy, why no Phnom Penh player in the team? Not selected ? Are they to old for Lee? All the good new player are Preah Khan Reach.

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon8:13AM,
PPCFC decided that taking our players out of pre-season training to join national team training for this and other friendly matches in the lead up to the Brunei tournament, wasn't in the best interests of the players or our club. We have a new squad this season, we need them to spend time together before they begin in the Hun Sen Cup, and then the C-League. So we declined the invitation for our players to join the national team training.
Andy

Andy Brouwer said...

I hear the Cambodia U-21s (+ overage players) will meet a Korean University team for two more practice matches on Friday 27 and Sunday 29 January at 4pm at Olympic Stadium.

Anonymous said...

Andy, what is the point of the coach playing overage players in an U21 team in the first place! Surely the good young players like Daravoan and Roth should be given the starting places in the practice matches, especially if the Brunei tournament is for U21 only.

Anonymous said...

Will any Phnom Penh player select go to Brunei?

Andy Brouwer said...

The Brunei tournament is a bit of a farce as its U-21 but with 5 overage players in the squad if you wish to include them. Coach Lee feels he needs to include them as he'd love to win something. I don't think he's got a cat in hell's chance of winning anything. I agree that he should treat it as a U-21 competition only and blood the youngsters. Then focus on the senior team for the Suzuki Cup, including the best of the U-21s. Suzuki Cup are the MOST important national team matches this season.

Will any PPCFC players go to Brunei? I hope not, as its in the middle of the Hun Sen Cup and C-league preparation, so the club needs to keep its players together for that. We have a new squad and they need time to gel together. The timing of the tournament in Brunei couldn't be at a worse time.

Andy

Andy Brouwer said...

18 Jan: Cambodia U-21s lost 3-2 to Preah Khan Reach in a friendly at Olympic Stadium. Pov Phearith and Sophal Udom score for the Cam team, whilst Sok Chanraksmey netted twice for PKR, alongwith Moung Makara.