Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Better late than never

The video for the Phnom Penh Crown 2-2 draw with Preah Khan Reach on 7 July has just surfaced. Goals from Sok Pheng and Khim Borey for Crown (in blue) and two from David Njoku for PKR. Although the video doesn't capture the incident in full, the follow-up where Preah Khan Reach surround and manhandle the referee, Khuon Virak, who subsequently changes his mind and disallows the goal is there for all to see. Both the referee and linesman had initially allowed the goal but were persuaded by the opposition to alter their decision. How does that happen? Did they have the benefit of video replay? Unfortunately, the match officials do not have to explain their decisions or their behaviour, so they can get away with murder.

3 comments:

Sao Suk said...

I always at the game whenever PPCFC have their match, I was there seein' unprofessional referee who judge at PPCFC vs PKR on July 3rd.

Wondering whether is there any club asking the referee to explain "why" after match!

Anonymous said...

Why pray tell are the referees only biased against Phnom Penh Crown! 7 losses this season tells it's own story. Referees call it as they see it! It's easy to imagine bias from the stands. PPCs goal difference just in the black, is another telling factor. The Phnom Oenh squad was decimated after last year's success and performance reflects that, not referee favouritism!

Andy Brouwer said...

Anon 5:32PM,
You'd have to ask the referees about their own performances. No-one is claiming that PPCFC are where they are in the table because of the referees, there's no big conspiracy theory, but in individual games, referees have either changed their mind (as in the PKR game), looked the other way or made a decision, like 29 bookings this term, that has had repercussions wit key players missing matches. Add that to the below-par performances, individual mistakes and a few other reasons and that's why PPCFC are currently in 5th place.