Hat-trick of penalties

The last remaining Metfone C-League match that I haven't mentioned which was played at the weekend was the early kick-off on Sunday between Naga and BBU. I only really caught the 2nd half of the game and it was pretty one-sided as BBU had to contend with a resurgent Naga line-up as well as referee Chi Samedy, the newest addition to the referee's panel. Included in the Naga team for the 1st time were the refugees from Phnom Penh Crown, Sun Sopanha and Thul Sothearith, who both left the club in disgrace after their indiscipline in the AFC President's Cup final last term cost them an 8-game ban. Naga were gifted an early penalty, taken and converted by Chuon Chum, the first of a hat-trick of penalties from the veteran frontman. After the break, he was on target again after BBU keeper Hem Simay tried to maim Kop Isa. Simay was lucky to stay on, though his colleague Nhim Sovannara went soon after, for a 2nd yellow card, for a strong shoulder. Six minutes from time, Rim Bunhieng, the BBU central defender with a penchant for losing his cool, forearm smashed Naga's debut boy Shola Lawal and saw red too. A minute later In Vireak left his foot in on Lawal, who was coming in for some rough treatment, and he took an early bath too, reducing BBU to eight players. From the resultant penalty Chum celebrated his hat-trick of spot-kicks. Then it was the turn of Lawal to give BBU some payback with a deflected goal in time added on to make it 4-0 to NagaCorp. So a record of won 1, lost 1 for Naga, the same as Phnom Penh Crown, who they meet in a tasty re-run of last season's championship run-in this Wednesday. The match is scheduled for a 3pm start at Olympic Stadium and don't be surprised for more fireworks from the likes of Sun Sopanha if he starts the game.