Army to the double

There's no stopping the Army, with the Hun Sen Cup already in the bank. LtoR: Seiha, Oudom, Rady, Kumpheak, Borin, Borey; Vann Than, Virak, Piseth, Khemarin, Chhouern.

The National Defense Ministry, the Army to you and me, are on the crest of a wave. After winning the recent Hun Sen Cup competition, the all-Khmer team are determined to put a spoke in the wheels of the more-fancied Metfone C-League teams this year and began with a 2-1 win over historic foes Khemara Keila on Sunday. The game was as tight as a gnat's chuff (look it up, it's English slang) but the Army got their noses in front and did enough to keep out a Khemara team, under a new coach and with new faces in their line-up, but lacking any real goal threat. MND surprisingly left Nov Soseila on the bench and their two other tiny wingers produced the goods with 20 minutes on the clock. Suong Virak and Chhin Chhouern scored in quick succession, each supplying the other, and though Sophal Oudom gave Khemara a lifeline on the half hour, they didn't take it. MND sat on their lead, Khemara failed to penetrate and the second half was a goalless stalemate. The miss of the season, though Teab Vatanak is in the running with about five of them on Sunday, goes to Ek Vannak. The Khemara new boy rounded Samreth Seiha and couldn't fail to score but as he dallied, Rang Borin got back to deny him with a last-ditch tackle. Vannak is still holding his head in his hands, a day later.

On target for the Army, Chhin Chhouern

Khemara Keila, beaten 2-1 in their opening game of the season

Probably the best toss-up of the season so far, as national teammates Khim Borey (7) and Kuoch Sokumpheak admire the handiwork of referee Yien Kivatanak