Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Sloppy at both ends

Determination etched on the face of Crown's Odion Obadin before the match
Defending that my grandmother would've been ashamed of allowed NagaCorp to earn themselves a cheap 2-1 win over Phnom Penh Crown this afternoon in the only Metfone C-League midweek game at Olympic Stadium. To switch off either side of the half-time break after taking a 23rd minute lead through a fabulous Khim Borey goal was nothing short of criminal negligence. And two chances that went begging to level the game late on were equally culpable. Let's call it a bad day at the office but with this second defeat in their first three league matches, it's not the start to a new season that PPCFC and their supporters expect. With an unchanged line-up and facing a Naga team with three of last season's Crown squad (Sopanha, Sothearith, Nwafor), David Booth's men began confidently, so much so that Odion Obadin even tried a 40-yeard free-kick that sailed harmlessly over. Emmanuel Frimpong undoubtedly has a sweet left-footed range of passes and an inch-perfect 30-yarder on 23 minutes, picked out Khim Borey's run into the box. Borey, who played with Frimpong at Sisaket last season, controlled it and dinked it over the Naga keeper as he came off his line. A goal of sublime quality to put Crown in front. Whether the Crown players felt one goal was enough is hard to say but from that point on, they took their foot off the gas. The sprightly Chuon Chum left Tieng Tiny and Obadin in his wake as he bore down on goal, only to screw his shot wide of the far post, but the writing was on the wall. With three minutes to go before the half-time break, a quick throw-in caught Crown cold, Teab Vathanak crossed and Chum rose unopposed to loop a header over Yok Ary's slow-motion dive for the equalizer.

With David Booth's half-time warning to pick up at free-kicks and corners ringing in their ears, the Crown defence did exactly the opposite. Just two minutes into the second-half a lofted Sun Sopanha free-kick from the left-wing found Neang Chenla in acres of space and his header bounced across Ary and into the far corner. It was a kick in the guts. Just four minutes later Kouch Sokumpheak thought he'd levelled but the match officials were unmoved. Ouk Sothy's cross to the far post saw Sokumpheak send his diving header goalwards, only for Naga keeper Phorn Ratana to claw the ball away from the goal-line with one hand and referee Yien Kivatanak waved play on. From the resulting Borey corner kick, Sokumpheak's looping header was heading for the top corner before Ratana palmed it from under the cross-bar. At the other end, Yok Ary kept Teab Vathanak's up-and-over free-kick out with a one-handed push over. A couple of minutes later and Naga sub Shola Lawal's rolled shot spun wide of the target and later, Tieng Tiny blocked his goal-bound drive after he skated past two defenders and raced into the box. Sothy thought he'd netted until his hooked shot was headed clear by Nofiu Lawal but Crown will look at two misses in the final stages of the game that should've earned them at least a point. On 82 minutes, a hurried punch-out by Naga keeper Ratana found Borey lying in wait twenty yards from goal, but his return looping header sailed wide of the gaping net by a foot. Two minutes later the miss of the match fell to American import and substitute Melvin Tarley. Sothy ghosted to the bye-line and his perfect pull-back to Tarley on the six-yard box looked a certain equalizer. Instead, Tarley leaned back and watched in horror as his left-foot shot sailed well over the cross-bar. Everyone stood in open-mouthed amazement. That was the last chance of the game as Naga held out for a 2-1 success that they will know was handed to them on a plate.
PPCFC v Naga: Ary, Rady, Sovan, Tiny, Obadin (S Pheng 76), Dara, Sothy, Frimpong, Suhana (Tarley 58), Borey, Sokumpheak. Subs not used: Chamrouen, Seyha, Vanthan, Lika, Sophanal, Rathanak, Sovanna, Makara, H Pheng. Bookings: Tarley, Rady, Frimpong, Tiny.
Crown V NagaCorp: Back Row LtoR: Tiny, Sovan, Dara, Frimpong, Obadin, Borey. Front: Rady, Suhana, Ary, Sothy, Sokumpheak
The Crown bench just before kick-off
NagaCorp line-up for the photographers
A pre-match pep-talk inside the Crown dressing room

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Andy, it seems PPC has some issue with formation and technique of the whole team.

PPC need to take a step back and loot at some experienced players to stabilize the team. You can't just select most of the new players to set up a strong team.

Even though i have not regularly witnised the game this season, i feel that PPC is not as strong as last season.

Thanks,
Ryra

Anonymous said...

PPC shouldn't terminate it's players from the last season because of that stupid incident. Now, look at what they're getting. If PPC can't even defeat PKR and Naga Corp, then don't even dream about that AFC Cup.

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon 4:17AM,
The club took the action it felt was appropriate at the time. Now we have to get on with the present and re-build. That's what we are doing this season, re-building and this doesn't necessarily happen overnight with the same level of success as last year. It shouldn't take a genius to work that out. PPCFC has no divine right to win every game and thump the opposition in every match(pun intended).
Andy

Anonymous said...

Andy, with the players that PPC have now, do you seariously think PPC could get any better? Even if PPC could rebuild its team to the level it was last year but so what? Other teams such as PKR and Naga Corp are also improving their team. By the time PPC gets to where they're at last year, PKR and Naga Corp will definitely get higher than where they're at now. Is it too much for you to figure that out?

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon 6:33AM,
You are having me on, right? Of course PPCFC can get a lot better. I expect other teams to improve - if they don't, why the hell do they exist. Its what football is all about. Teams change and evolve and its up to the club to get the best players they can. Some do that by signing new faces, others might do it by progressing players in-house. Either way each club should aim to be the best. The last 2 years PPCFC have been that, and we'll continue to do what we can to maintain that position, as Cambodia's no 1 club.

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon 6:33AM,
You are having me on, right? Of course PPCFC can get a lot better. I expect other teams to improve - if they don't, why the hell do they exist. Its what football is all about. Teams change and evolve and its up to the club to get the best players they can. Some do that by signing new faces, others might do it by progressing players in-house. Either way each club should aim to be the best. The last 2 years PPCFC have been that, and we'll continue to do what we can to maintain that position, as Cambodia's no 1 club.

Anonymous said...

How many years does it take to train those inexperience players? How long will Booth stay with them? Are they really improving? Personally, I think they're getting worse. Got defeated by those Robber men? I'm not trying to be offended here. I like PPC but these new players just can't get any farther. Make Crown a #1 team in Cambodia? Those academy boys could probably do that in the next 4-5 years but not these guys.

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon 7:21AM,
You give a new-look PPCFC team just 4 games into the new season and already you write them off. I seriously worry about the fickle football fans in this country and whether they have any idea what it really takes to support a football team. Of course they don't...they have no idea as its not in the culture here as it is everywhere else. Support your team through thick and thin, or move from team to team and onto whoever is successful that minute...its up to you how you enjoy your football... just don't bother me with your doomsday prophecies after 4 games of the new season.
Andy