 |
| Cam v Brunei, back row, LtoR: Udom, Sovan, Laboravy, Piseth. Pheng. Yaty. Front: Suhana, Chhoeun, Samoeun, Visal, Sokumpheak (capt) - courtesy of Masayori Ishikawa/CAMPA/Khmer Goal |
Cambodia ended their AFF Suzuki Cup qualification competition with a 1-0 victory over Brunei in Laos this afternoon, their 2nd win in 4 games, but it was not enough to qualify. Myanmar and Laos go through to the finals, with the Burmese claiming top-spot in a 2-1 decider. Chhin Chhoeun scored the game's only goal on 56 minutes, taking a Prak Mony Udom pass in his stride and sending his finish low inside the near post. Cambodia had other chances with Kouch Sokumpheak and Sos Suhana going close in the first-half. Khuon Laboravy and Chan Vathanaka should've extended the lead but failed in front of goal, and a very poor Brunei team, who left their first-choice keeper and their captain on the bench, nearly snatched a draw late on when they hit the upright. Cambodia deserved their win, with 4 Phnom Penh Crown players starting the game: Sokumpheak, Sou Yaty, Suhana and Hong Pheng. Ngoy Srin missed out through suspension.
Cambodia starting XI: Yaty, Samoeun (Virak), Pheng, Piseth, Sovan, Visal (Vathanaka), Udom, Sokumpheak, Chhoeun, Suhana (Chanrasmey), Laboravy. Subs not used: Sophea, Sovannrithy, Daravorn, Soksana, Sothearath. Goal: Chhoeun (56).
3 comments:
The Cambodian players are to be congratulated for a win over Brunei to go with victory over Timor Leste. But no matter which way you spin it this is yet another tournament disappointment for Cambodia under coach Lee. Yes Cambodia finished a creditable third but this Suzuki Cup qualifying event is contested by the 5 lowest-ranked teams and it is Laos and Myanmar who advance to the finals.
So Andy what's next? More of the same or a change of coach. Every tournament ends in predictable failure, even though the players are good and try their best.
Thanks Andy for posting head coach Lee's underwhelming record, which is worth repeating.
Played 37 Won 9 Drawn 6 Lost 22
Goals for 48 Goals against 79
What these numbers do not tell us is the number of tournament failures.
The FFC do not understand that the Cambodia team belongs to the country and the fans. As such, changes have to made to ensure that the paradigm of tourament failure does not become part of the national psyche. Cambodia has lots of good players and lots of loyal fans who deserve success which can only be achieved with a new coach at the helm. Time for a change of strategy or Cambodia will remain at the bottom of the FIFA rankings.
Anon(s),
there will be no change to the head coach position, you can guarantee that. The authorities are comfortable with an under-achiever who doesn't rock the boat. They made that abundantly clear when they signed him up for a 2nd stint at the helm. Repeated tournament failures have scant meaning to the authorities, they are happy enough with the odd victory or two which keeps the fans in line and even showering the coach with plaudits, as we've just seen following the failure in Laos. Anyone who wants to see a shake-up of the country's football, from top to bottom, will have to wait for a new dawn; you will not see it under the existing regime.
9 wins in 37 matches is a record that would get every other coach shown the door, in any league, in any competition, except in Cambodia.
Post a Comment