Harry in the spotlight

Harry talks to Lim Pisoth

The spotlight falls on PPCFC Academy U-15 technical coordinator Harry Varley in this interview for the website, British Coaches Abroad Association @ http://www.britishcoachesabroad.com/meet-the-coach-harry-v…/ - Harry joined the club recently after experience at Shrewsbury Town, Sporting Khalsa Ladies and Coerver Coaching where he was technical coach (UK), academy development officer (Mexico), and regional director (New Zealand).

Making a point in Vietnam

Final score: PVF Academy (Vietnam) 2 PPCFC Academy 2 (U-18 ACT 2015).
A superb battling performance by the Crown Academy against last year's beaten finalists on their home turf in Vietnam, earned them a 2-2 draw with the visitors twice coming from behind. PVF scored first on 26 minutes with a fortunate header, which Ouk Sovann levelled 3 minutes after the break when his 30-yard free-kick from wide on the left deceived the goalkeeper and sneaked inside the far post. On 71 minutes, PVF went in front again with a rasping shot from outside the box, but substitute Umaru Samura came on and curled a 20-yard free-kick over the wall and into the PVF net for a 2nd equaliser on 81 minutes. A well-deserved and valuable ACT point for the Academy U-18s.
PPCFC line-up, back row, LtoR: Sovann, Soksela, Senteang, Jason, Titchhy, Sodavid (capt). Front row: Chanpolin, Suleiman, Noeut, Ponvuthy, Rozak.

PPCFC Academy technical director Tom Legg gave his thoughts after yesterday's 2-2 draw with PVF in Ho Chi Minh, which gave the PPCFC Academy their first away point of this year's U-18 Asia Champions Trophy. "Overall we are pleased with the result and performance from our young squad last night, we showed great desire and competitiveness from the first minute to the last. Its always a challenge playing away from home and considering the difficult conditions we faced leading up to the game, the players adapted very well. We had to make a few last minute changes to the game plan after the heavy rains and I was happy to see the players show their tactical flexibility to take on board and apply those changes.
Everyone that watched the game could see we carried much more of an attacking threat than PVF and we created a number of good goal-scoring opportunities, which is always pleasing when you are playing away from home.
Taking a step back and reviewing the last two performances from the players should go some way to show that we are not in this competition to simply make up the numbers, we are here to compete and achieve success.
We're still on track to reach our minimum points target for these two games which we feel will leave us in a strong position to challenge for qualification to the knock-out phase."
The ACT Group B points totals after 3 matches for each team: Kashima Antlers - 6 points, Frenz United B - 5 points, PVF - 2 points, PPCFC Academy - 2 points.

Cambodia lose 6-0

The four PPCFC players involved in Cambodia's World Cup qualifying campaign, which continued last night at the Olympic Stadium, with a 6-0 defeat by Syria, will return to training with the club this afternoon, ahead of Saturday's match with AEU. Sos Suhana (12) and Keo Sokpheng (14) started last night's game and can be seen in Park's pre-match team photo, Bin Thierry came on as a substitute in the 58th minute while Kok Boris was an unused replacement. All of our players were very appreciative of another fantastic turn-out from Cambodia's fans last night - a crowd of 35,000 - despite heavy rain. Cambodia's next WC game will be in Singapore on 13 October. Pic courtesy of Park.

7-2 defeat for U-15s

The PPCFC Academy U-15s lost out to a Ministry of Interior team on Saturday at RSN Stadium. The visitors led 4-0 at the break and despite a Nop David penalty and a Pich Sovannaroth goal after the interval, the Ministry team ran out 7-2 winners.
PPCFC line-up, back row, LtoR: Bory, Sovannaroth, Chandara, Piseth, Panha, Chanmony. Front: Samel, Davann, N David, Pisoth, S David.

U-16s return home

The Cambodia U-16s are returning from Singapore after finishing fourth in their AFC U-16 Championships qualifying group H. Yesterday they lost 3-1 to hosts Singapore after a creditable 1-0 defeat to Thailand and a 7-0 reverse against North Korea. PPCFC's Yue Safy played in all three matches, whilst Sin Kakada started the game against Korea, and Yem Chetra started yesterday's match.

Hotly-disputed

Result: PPCFC 0 Nagaworld 1 (Friendly).
There was little to choose between the two sides in this evening's friendly at RSN Stadium. In a game of 3x30 minute periods, Naga got their noses in front 13 minutes into the second period when a hotly-disputed effort was allowed to stand by the referee. Shane Booysen, Yongsun Baek, Leng Makara, Odion Obadin and Prom Yaneat had good chances to open Crown's account, whilst Naga also had two far post efforts go the wrong side of the upright. Both sides return to league action next weekend after their 3-week break.
PPCFC vs Naga, back row, LtoR: Obadin, Baek, Yaneat, Booysen, C Pisa, Ary. Front: Makara, Boran, Tola, Dani, Koroma.

Friendly win

Result: PPCFC Academy 4 Porsenchey 2 (Friendly).
The senior Academy team were three goals ahead after 25 minutes in this friendly at RSN Stadium this afternoon. Early goals from Sath Rozak and Ouk Sovann were added to by another from Sovann before the visitors scored 7 minutes before the break. Ten minutes after the restart Mat Sakrovy slotted in Crown's fourth but Porsenchey never gave in and scored another.
PPCFC line-up, back row, LtoR: Jason, Titchhy, Soksela, Sovann, Chanpolin, Sodavid. Front: Rozak, Piphop, Muslim, Noeut, Ponvuthy.

Boris on the Japan match

Tomorrow is arguably the biggest game in Cambodia's footballing history, when they face a star-studded Japan team in the FIFA World Cup 2nd Round Qualifier in Saitama. We asked PPCFC captain Kok Boris (pictured with his 3 Crown teammates in the Cambodia squad) for his thoughts on the match. "I think this is a fantastic opportunity for us to show how much Cambodian football has developed and progressed. Everybody is impatient to play in the match. Japan are a fantastic team with great abilities and now with a fantastic coach Vahid Halilodzic, who I know bases his teams on discipline, rigor in pressing and hard-work because he coached teams in France like Lille, Rennes and Paris Saint-Germain.
As a team, we have worked very hard during the past two weeks on basic defense tactics, based on pressing and counter attack. We know Japan are the top team in Asia but now we must show that Cambodia can give problems to even the best teams in Asia. We must believe in all the attacking opportunities that we get as we know that we will not have a lot. We must stay unified as a team in effort and pressing. I think discipline and being smart in positional play will be the key to do something against Japan.
My personal thought is that this is a dream for all players and particularly Thierry and myself, we have lived the dream since we came to Cambodia, because we have been able to live our passion. We have won the country's best team title and now we can represent our nation against the best team in Asia and players from the EPL, Bundesliga and Serie A. It is a dream come true.
I hope I get the chance to play tomorrow, but more importantly is the performance of the team on behalf of our country and the performance of my brothers on the field. Go Go Cambodia."

U-13s in national championships

PPCFC U-13s win 8-0 vs Kompong Thom

The PPCFC Academy U-13s were knocked out of the U-13 National Championships this afternoon, losing 1-0 to Pailin, who scored after 14 minutes at Tonle Bati.

30 August: PPCFC Academy U-13s 13 Kompong Chhnang 0 (U-13 National Championships).
Another convincing and dominant display from the Academy U-13s as they completed their group matches this morning at Tonle Bati. With 7 goals in the 1st-half and another half dozen in the second period, they now go through to the last 16 full of confidence. The goals came courtesy of hat-tricks for Ros Darapich and Sem Phanny, with 3 goals each, Jonh Chhomrean 2, Tin Ladin 2, and Yim Makara, Kis Nakha and Met Samel 1 each.

29 August: PPCFC Academy U-13s 4 Preah Vihear 1 (U-13 National Championships).
The Academy U-13s won their second group game in the National Championships at Tonle Bati early this morning, with Jonh Chhomrean once again getting amongst the goals. He scored twice in the first-half and completed his hat-trick after the interval. Ky Rina got the other Crown goal. The U-13s face Kompong Chhnang in their final group match tomorrow at 8am.

28 August: PPCFC Academy U-13s 8 Kompong Thom 0 (U-13 National Championships).
In their opening U-13 National Championship game at Tonle Bati on Friday, the Academy U-13 were in control from the start and dominated the match. Jonh Chhomrean top-scored with 5 goals and there was one each for Kis Nakha, Ros Darapich and Mit Samel. Next game versus Preah Vihear at 8am today (Saturday). 

30 August:
A mixed PPCFC Academy team beat Victory FC 3-2 at RSN on Saturday afternoon. The U-15s were boosted with some of the senior Academy players, seeking to gain match practice. Victory led 1-nil at the break but goals from San David, Ouk Sovann and Suleiman Samura gave the home team the win.

World Vision mini-tournament

The World Vision mini-football tournament held at RSN Stadium yesterday was a great success. A big thank you to all the World Vision youngsters that came from many provinces to join in the event, and thanks to the PPCFC 1st-Team for joining in the fun with such enthusiasm. There was much to celebrate, as you can see from this photo.
Teenagers from World Vision projects around the country came to RSN Stadium for a 5-a-side mini-tournament and enjoyed a competition that included all of the PPCFC 1st-Team playing squad. The friendly competition was part of the One Goal campaign to focus on improving child nutrition and adopting healthy lifestyles. With teams representing Takeo, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Kompong Chhnang, Phnom Penh, Kompong Thom and Battambang, it was Takeo who triumphed, with Shane Booysen and Lous Charly as their 1st-Team players, beating Kompong Thom in the final. Congratulations to the winners and a big thanks to everyone who took part, including the fans from Kompong Thom who supported their team so vocally.