Dull start to 2nd round

With the Phnom Penh Crown v Army match finishing off the outstanding game from the 1st round of this season's Metfone C-League program, the game between Kirivong and BBU opened up the 2nd half of the season this afternoon. However, it didn't exactly set the world alight and an otherwise dull encounter only sparked into life on the hour when Ishola Abiding lobbed a shot onto the crossbar. On 75 minutes he rose unopposed at the far post to head Kirivong in front, though their lead only lasted four minutes as Pech Sina caught a sweet near post volley to level the game at one-apiece. BBU lost defender Rim Bunhieng to a 2nd yellow card plus red with five minutes to go, but a minute into stoppage time, they looked certain to take home the three points. A senseless trip gave Chhun Sothearath the opportunity to win the match from the penalty spot but his understruck shot was kicked away by keeper Kun Thnou and the points were shared. There was still time for Kirivong's Ouk Thon to see red, also for a second bookable offence according to card-happy referee Yien Kivatanak. The single point saw BBU leapfrog over Phnom Penh Crown into sixth spot.

The stand-out games in the C-League for the coming weekend see leaders National Police facing Phnom Penh Crown at 2.30pm on Saturday. Crown were the only team to inflict a defeat on the Police in the 1st round of matches when they recorded a 4-3 win in early April. In the early start on Sunday, Boeung Ket's Rubbermen meet 2nd-placed NagaCorp in a tasty encounter. Word on the grapevine is that last season's C-League goal-grabber Julius Oiboh may be heading back this way from a stint in Thailand to join up with Boeung Ket for their run-in.

The Cambodian U-22 squad have a match against the touring Philippines U-22s on Wednesday 13 June at 4pm, as they prepare for their U-22 Asian Cup Qualifying Group matches that kick-off in Laos ten days later. The C-League will take a break after the matches on Sunday 17 June until Wednesday 11 July to allow players involved with the U-22s not to miss any league games. The squad have just returned from a stint in Saigon and announced that four members of their squad have been jettisoned because they are overage. Which beggars the question as to why did the coaches and the FFC choose them in the first place, as they would've known the qualifying birthdates from the AFC ages ago. One more head-scratcher from the weird and wonderful world of Cambodian football.