Frimpong sparks Crown

Crown coach David Booth providing last minute tactical reminders to his team

Emmanuel Frimpong is enjoying life in the middle of Phnom Penh Crown's midfield and opened the scoring with his 4th goal of the season in this afternoon's regulation 4-1 win over Chhlam Samuth. "I love scoring, I've always scored goals whichever team I'm with, most of them with my left foot but occasionally with my right. I'm very settled here and both myself and the team are improving with each game we play. We were a little complacent today after they went down to 10 men but we did enough to secure the win, so I'm happy," said the play-making midfield dynamo after today's game. Chhlam Samuth are finding life tough in the Metfone C-League again this season, as they did last term when they escaped relegation by 1 point. Currently bottom and without any points, they had a veritable mountain to climb after losing Soth Sotheavy to a fifth minute straight red card. His tackle from behind on Melvin Tarley, starting his first game for Crown, was bad enough for referee Yien Kivatanak to reach for his red card without a second's thought. It looked a bit harsh. Khim Borey had already wasted a first minute opportunity for Crown, firing wide when well-placed. George Bisan was making his debut for Chhlam Samuth and will kick himself for not scoring on eight minutes when he found himself in acres of room but sent his drive high and wide. Frimpong sent a sighter from 35 yards a foot over the cross-bar a couple of minutes later but made no mistake with his next strike after 13 minutes. Comfortable on the ball, he sidestepped two defenders as he approached the edge of the area and then cut back onto his left foot before sending a bobbling low drive into the far corner for the game's opening goal. Less than a minute later, Kouch Sokumpheak fed Melvin Tarley on the left wing and his dangerous-looking cross was headed past his own goalkeeper by Kao Viso to add more misery to Chhlam Samuth's woes.

Yok Ary was back in goal for Crown and he was handily-placed to hold a low drive by Sunday Ayodele after he broke clear. But most of the possession was in Crown's favour and on 25 minutes Borey's powerful drive was pushed over by Chhlam Samuth's keeper Kong Chanparin. The Crown striker, slotting into a midfield role this afternoon, then sent a 25-yard shot skidding wide, as did his teammate Frimpong from the same distance. Ayodele pounced on a Sok Sovan error at the other end but was wayward with his final touch. On 36 minutes, Sos Suhana extended Crown's lead with his first goal in his new club colours. Showing great strength for such a slightly-built player, he fended off the challenge of two defenders, broke free into the box and finished coolly to make it 3-nil. Three minute later he repeated his burst into the penalty area but this time screwed his shot wide. In time added on at the end of the half, Tarley got on the end of a Frimpong cross but his powerful header was palmed aside by Chanparin and then Sokumpheak headed over the top as the whistle blew for half-time.

With the watching spectators expecting a second-half avalanche of goals, Crown continued to dominate but the goal-fest never materialized. Chan Chaya's cheeky 1st-time shot was saved at the near post, Borey managed to lob the ball over the keeper's head only for it to be cleared off the line and Tarley's best chance, set-up by Sokumpheak, brought out the best from Chanparin with a full-length diving save. Just after the hour, Tarley's pass to Suhana set him up perfectly, but he watched in horror as his sweetly-struck shot cannoned back off the cross-bar. Crown coach David Booth introduced three new strikers to freshen it up and one of them, Sok Pheng was poked clear only to screw his shot hopelessly wide. On 72 minutes, Chhlam Samuth stole a goal that never looked like coming. Their latest signing, midfielder George Bisan, toe-poked it past Tieng Tiny and then sidestepped Odion Obadin before slotting the ball under Yok Ary's body for a classy solo effort. Five minutes later and sub Sok Pheng showed he was no slouch either. Sokumpheak cleared a corner to Pheng, ten yards in his own half. He left the defender for dead and then put his head down and carried the ball another forty yards before unleashing a thunderbolt drive from the edge of the box that slammed into the top corner. Crown continued to press with Frimpong, itching to get another goal, flashing a 25-yarder inches wide, as did Sokumpheak, and then Leng Makara fluffed his chance to get on the scoresheet when set up by Pheng, only for the keeper to block his goal-bound shot. 4-1 in Crown's favour, the job done and three more points in the bag.
Crown line-up: Ary, Rady, Sovan, Tiny, Obadin, Frimpong, Suhana, Borey (Makara 66), Chaya (H Pheng 66), Tarley (S Pheng 68), Sokumpheak. Subs not used: Chamrouen, Dara, Vanthan, Lika, Seyha, Sothy, Sovanna, Rathanak.

Crown line-up: Back Row LtoR: Obadin, Frimpong, Tiny, Tarley, Rady, Ary. Front: Chaya, Suhana, Borey, Sokumpheak, Sovan

Kouch Sokumpheak (10) getting ready to lead his Crown team out

Chhlam Samuth, beaten 4-1 by PPCFC this afternoon