Laboravy on song

Preah Khan Reach in all red

Everyone expected Preah Khan Reach to dominate Prek Pra Keila in the first of the Hun Sen Cup quarter-finals on Saturday and that's how it turned out after PKR finally overcame some stubborn resistance. In fact Prek Pra took the lead on 7 minutes when Sok Rithy slipped leaving Mat Hasan to cut inside his marker and fire in a bobbling shot that took a wicked bounce over the outstretched arm of Ouk Mic to give the underdogs a shock lead. They looked like carrying the advantage into the interval before Khuon Laboravy, who is making this tournament a personal goalscoring crusade, netted an equaliser on 40 minutes. PKR's Moul Daravorn caught everyone out with an early cross except Laboravy who has a nose for goal these days and he fired his drive into the roof of the net with some aplomb. There was still time for Prek Pra's Sos Souhana to blast high and wide from just eight yards as the referee blew his whistle for half-time.
PKR applied the pressure as the 2nd half began and on 57 minutes Tum Saray robbed a defender and slid the ball under the onrushing Yok Ary for their second goal. Prek Pra committed suicide by pushing too high up the pitch leaving way too much space between their last defender and the keeper, and Preah Khan exploited their defensive game plan. With 73 minutes on the clock, Saray fed Phanny Y Ratha and he lobbed his shot over Ary to put PKR firmly in the driving seat. Two more goals from Khuon Laboravy in injury time sealed the result at 5-1 in Preah Khan's favour and put him on 19 goals for the tournament, way ahead of anyone else. Suon Veasna sent Laboravy clear and he finished with the confidence of a man in form for his 2nd goal and then rounded off his hat-trick with a gorgeous half-volley after Chea Samnang's effort rebounded to him off the cross-bar. At the moment, the national team striker can do no wrong. PKR would meet the winners of the Naga v National Police game in next week's semi-final.

The youthful Prek Pra Keila teamPKR goalscorer Phanny Y Ratha