1-1 with Naga

Friendly Result: PPCFC 1 Nagaworld 1.
In this afternoon's pre-season friendly match at the RSN training pitch, both teams scored in the second period of three thirty-minute halves to end the game all-square at one goal apiece. PPCFC used more than thirty players, those on contracts and others on trial and it was one of the trialists, Khmer-Belgian Am Sovythang, who drilled in the equaliser for Crown on 55 minutes after Long Boran's corner was headed down by Michael Osei Tutu, another new face. The leveller came seven minutes after Naga took a fortunate lead when a 25-yard free-kick from Sun Sopanha looped off the back of Osei Tutu and nestled in the far corner, deceiving Spanish goalkeeper Abel Yebenes. Both PPCFC goalkeepers Yebenes and Keo Soksela had to save sharply on a couple of occasions, whilst Crown's best efforts in front of goal fell to Baldwin Ngwa, Kelechi George a couple of times, and Matthew Rhoda. 
New coach Oriol Mohedano spoke of his delight at the end of his first game in charge, a 1-1 draw with Nagaworld yesterday. "My last word to the players was to go out and 'enjoy' the game. Despite a low rhythm, I was pleased as the players tried to play football, and it was good because all players got game-time. I'm happy as we have something to work with and we can do something great. We have to work more on conditioning, but I prefer that the brain is fit, ready to work and understand what's required. I was happy with the mentality of each of the players, they are ready to work hard, but we must be patient. We are building up to 7 February and we need to peak at that time. Today it was a little like futsal with all the changes, but we had a plan to give everyone game-time, and even though some players only had 15 minutes, it's all part of our preparation for the season."

PPCFC are pleased to announce the signing of Spanish goalkeeper Abel Yebenes for the forthcoming season. Abel is 20 years old and has played for the Catalan 1st Division clubs UE Valls and CE El Catllar in Spain for the past two seasons. He was born in Reus in the province of Tarragona in the Catalonia region of northeast Spain and began playing football at the age of four. He spent ten years with his local team La Salle Reus before joining the Academy at Gimnastic de Tarragona, now in the 2nd tier of Spanish football. He spent four years with Nastic, the last two playing in the development squad where Crown's Oriol Mohedano was an assistant coach. His younger brother is also at the Gimnastic Academy. 

The Booyse signs on for 2 more years

PPCFC is very excited to announce that the club's number 11, Shane Booysen, who wowed the club's fans with his lightning quick feet and outstanding ball wizardry in his first season last year, has put pen to paper to sign a new contract for the next two years. After competing a season that included a personal goal tally of 24 goals and collecting his teammates' award as Most Valuable Player, not to mention the fans award for Goal of the Season (against AEU), the Cape Town-born fan's favourite has pledged himself to the club until the end of 2017. 
Shane has just returned to RSN from a break to see his family in South Africa and was delighted to sign for two more years. "Last year was the most dramatic season in my career, even the last day ended in drama. Overall it was a very good season, not only for me but for the team. I think together we grew a lot, with everything that happened it made us even closer, it made us champions not just as a team, but as individuals as well, because we had to overcome so much. For myself, it was a good season and I'm looking forward to doing the same and even adding more if I can. My contribution to the team was good, I did what I could, I set some personal goals, I achieved most of them, but overall, I think I could've done better. Knowing myself and knowing the potential of the team, I think we could've won the league easily, but due to the circumstances, we still managed to retain our title, which was the important result.
Looking forward, the upcoming All Star matches are a big bonus for me, having been selected for the team. I feel really honoured and very pleased to have this opportunity. I returned a bit late to pre-season training, so it's an interruption but at the same time it will give me match fitness and the experience of playing against the two highest-level clubs in Thailand. So it's all good. I played a friendly match against each team (Muangthong and Buriram) for my old club in Thailand, it was a good experience, so I know what to expect and I know what's expected of me as well. I'm looking forward to the games." 
Shane, now 27 years old, signed for Crown in March of last year, scoring two goals in his first friendly match against BBU in February, with head coach Sam Schweingruber saying at the time: “We are delighted Shane has signed with us, he was our target player to get on board. He is both experienced and talented and his outstanding technique has in the past weeks excited teammates, staff and fans." The excitement was to continue throughout the season. Shane was born in Cape Town, the second-largest city in South Africa and began playing football at Ajax Cape Town as a ten-year-old. Four years later he joined the full-time Hellenic FC Academy, one of the best in the country, for three years and appeared for the Western Province U-17s. In his mid-teens he moved to the country’s most successful club Mamelodi Sundowns and played for their reserves for two years before spells at Gleneden United, back to Ajax Cape Town and a loan stint in the National First Division with Ikapa Sporting. In March of 2014, he took the decision to pursue his career goals abroad, moved to Thailand and played regularly for Rbac Mittraphap and Bangkok Christian College-Tero in the Thai Regional League Division 2 before joining Crown.

Clean sweep for Academy

The PPCFC Academy and community boys, celebrated their clean sweep success at the 7 Makara Youth Cup tournament hosted by Boeungket Angkor at Premium Sport Club today. All three age category finals, at U-12, U-14 and U-17 were won by the PPCFC teams and the youngsters celebrated their success with club president Rithy Samnang, when they returned to RSN Stadium. A special mention to Yim Makara (U-12) and Ros Darapich (U-14) who won the Golden Boot in their age groups as the tournament's leading scorers.
These are the results from today's successful 7 Makara Youth Cup played at Premium Sport Club and organised by Boeungket, where PPCFC teams won all three age categories. In the U-12 section, PPCFC entered two teams, one from the Academy and one community team. Well done to all of our young players and to our coaches on their successful tournament.
PPCFC A U-12: 
vs 3G W4-0: vs Zaman W6-1: vs Boeungket W6-1; vs CIA 1 W2-1 (semi): PPCFC B W5-2 (final). Top scorer: Yim Makara - 11 goals.
PPCFC U-14:
vs MIS W3-2: vs CIA W5-2: vs WIS W3-0: vs 3G W6-1 (semi): vs 3G W1-0 (final). Top scorer: Ros Darapich - 7 goals.
PPCFC U-17:
vs Boeungket A D0-0: vs Boeungket B W1-0: vs Fansport W2-0: vs CIA W12-0: vs Ping Peang W7-1: vs Fansport W2-1 (semi): vs Boeungket A W2-1 (final). Top scorer: Pov Ponvuthy - 8 goals.

Oriol joins PPCFC

Oriol Mohedano

ORIOL MOHEDANO APPOINTED AS HEAD COACH
PPCFC is very pleased to announce the appointment of Oriol Mohedano as the club’s First-Team Head Coach. With Sam Schweingruber unable to undertake his duties for the immediate future, Oriol will be in charge of the team as they prepare for the start of the new 2016 Metfone C-League (our first MCL game is on 7 February) and Hun Sen Cup campaigns. 
Oriol was born in Barcelona in Spain, he is 29 years old, and is a UEFA A-License coach with playing experience in his home country and a coaching pedigree that has seen him enjoy roles in Spain, Switzerland and Finland before this, his first coaching position in Asia. A 1-year contract has been agreed.
As a defensive player, he represented junior club Penye Cornella before joining Club Atletic Roda de Bara in the Catalan First Division in Spain (the 5th tier of Spanish football), but a broken leg ended his playing career prematurely at the age of 23. His interest in coaching grew quickly, starting his UEFA C-License as a youth coach with UE Cornella, where he stayed for three years, before a return to CA Roda de Bara for just over a year, and then moving to Segunga Division club, Club Gimnastic de Tarragona (2nd tier of Spanish football) for three more years, and guided the U-18s to the Catalan Championship. It was at Nastic, one of the oldest clubs in Spain, that he gained his UEFA A-License award. In July 2014, Oriol moved to join Servette FC in Geneva, Switzerland for a year and was assistant coach to the U-18 Swiss championship-winning team. He recently spent three months as the assistant coach at FC Legirus Inter in Finland before joining PPCFC.
In taking on the role at Crown, Oriol commented: “I have been speaking to Sam (Schweingruber) for the past six months about our mutual passion for football, its methodology and about working together to share the workload at PPCFC. I see this as a natural step in progressing my coaching career, I am always seeking to improve myself and I am ready for the responsibility that this role will bring. This club has a clear identity, with a very young squad and I am motivated to develop the youngsters. I too am a young coach and I’m happy with this opportunity to join a club with such high ambitions, this is a great club, recognized as the best in Cambodia and my target is to continue to produce high quality football. I’m not shy, I have no limits and I will aim as high as possible.
“I recognize that football is a spectacle, like a theater for people to come and enjoy, I want there to be a common feeling between the players and the fans. I promise we will work hard and we need the fans to support us and help us to victory. When the relationship is good, it’s a fantastic feeling, magical, like a family, so I ask the fans to be ready, we want to give them something to love, something beautiful.”

Bayon beaten

Match Result: PPCFC 7 Bayon Wanderers 2 (Friendly).
In their first outing since winning the Metfone title, PPCFC beat amateur team Bayon Wanderers 7-2 at RSN Stadium this afternoon, in their firstpre-season practice match. Um Tola netted a hat-trick with Orn Chanpolin, In Sodavid, Kim Chhaya and Chhuot Senteang each scoring a goal.

For the record, the goals were scored by Tola 3 (11, 13, 16 mins), Chanpolin (25), Sodavid (35), Chhaya (47), Senteang (52). Bayon scored on 78 and 85 minutes.

Tony's hat-trick

Tony and his 3 Championship trophies

Who better to show off the last 3 Metfone C-League Championship trophies won by PPCFC, than the central defender who played a major role in ensuring those trophies became the property of Crown, the ever-popular Odion 'Tony' Obadin. Nigerian-born Tony joined the club in November 2010 and was a rock in the heart of our defence as we won the league title in 2011, as well as being runners-up in the AFC President's Cup that same year. Back to back championships duly arrived in 2014 and again this year as Tony celebrated a hat-trick of successes. A great example to his teammates and the club's Academy youngsters, that loyalty to one club can bring richly-deserved rewards. A real player's player.