Borey magic

Khim Borey enjoying himself and getting amongst the goals (pic by Nick Sells)

Khim Borey must be getting used to the plaudits after another headline-grabbing performance against Timor Leste in the Suzuki Cup yesterday. A first-half hat-trick in the space of 14 minutes is a tough ask for anyone but Borey, the darling of Cambodia's football-mad public, also made the headlines back in October 2008 when his winner against Brunei propelled Cambodia into the Suzuki Cup against the big boys. He spoke to the competition's website after his three-goal haul yesterday. "I am delighted that I was able to score a hat-trick for my country tonight. I owe a big thank you to my teammates because I could not have managed this feat without them. It is my second time in the Suzuki Cup and I feel that I have learnt a lot from my first experience in 2008 when I scored against Laos, Timor Leste and Brunei," he said. "I am confident that we can win our next match against the Philippines. And I want to score again!" Cambodia will need a victory against the Philippines tomorrow afternoon to confirm their advance to the next round when the likes of Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore join the competition. 21 year old Borey was the Golden Boot winner in 2008 as the country's leading goalscorer in the Cambodian League, though last season his tally was lessened when his club side, the Ministry of National Defence used him in a withdrawn midfield role. He skippered the Army team to a Hun Sen Cup success at the beginning of last term but it was back to his more favoured striking position yesterday, that Khim Borey did what he does best, scoring goals.