Who will make the difference?

The championship play-off final for the 2010 Metfone C-League title will take place at Olympic Stadium at 2pm this coming Saturday. Of the two teams - Preah Khan Reach and Phnom Penh Crown - which side will have the players who can make the difference? In my opinion, having watched the majority of the C-League games this season, on their day, Crown can beat anyone, and usually do. However, they do get caught with their pants down occasionally. With talented players like teenager Keo Sokngorn (left) in their line-up, Crown should beat Preah Khan in Saturday's final. Sokngorn has been the wonder-boy of Cambodian football for the last two years and deserves the accolade, though there are others waiting in the wings to pinch his crown. Alongside him in the Crown line-up, are players who can also turn the game in a flash and the obvious one is last year's Golden Boot winner Uche Prince Justine, with 17 goals this season he's behind Julius Ononiwu and Teab Vathanak, but is still a real danger if he gets a head of steam up. However, two yellow cards means a 1-game suspension, so his place will be taken by Olisa Onyemerea for the final. In midfield, they have Sun Sopanha, who scored with two glorious free-kicks in the semi-final and looks odds-on to get a starting place in the next national team. And rock-solid in defense are man-mountain Sani Saidu and the best Khmer defender in the league, Tieng Tiny. Crown's weakest spot can be their goalkeeper Peng Bunchhay, who has more bad games than good.
The two men who can win the game for Preah Khan, if Crown are having an off day, are Khuon Laboravy, with the best left foot in the league, and the perennial warrior Sam El Nasa. Both players know where the goal is, though Laboravy is likely to miss half a dozen before hitting a sweet one. They are pretty good defensively with 3 national players in their back-four, as well as another giant defender, Anthony Nzekwest. On the bench will be the new wonder-boy-in-waiting, Chan Vathanaka, who could make the difference if he gets the chance. However, unless Crown have a real bad day at the office, I don't see PKR pulling this one off.