The adventures of the
Cambodian U-14s national squad in Malaysia reached their finale today and the youngsters will return home tomorrow.
It was the last day of matches and Cambodia met the hosts Malaysia and then Vietnam in the 60-minute format, where Cambodia played two different teams of eleven players in each half. With a record up to that point of three draws and four defeats, I'm sure the Cambodian youngsters were desperate for a victory but the hosts were in no mood to roll over and came out on top 4-0 at the final whistle in the morning kick-off. In the afternoon start against neighbours Vietnam, the Khmers succumbed to a 3-1 defeat with In Sodavid grabbing a last minute consolation goal. So results-wise no victories in their nine matches but three creditable draws and a series of performances that have been of great encouragement to head coach Bouy Dary. Their opposition have been the best of their age-group that the SE Asian countries can offer up and to be in contention in every match and against each nation is a remarkable testament to the youngsters and their coaches. We must remember that Cambodian youth football is at the very start of its emergence with only one football academy in place, at Phnom Penh Crown, which has been operating for just over a year. Crown provided the bulk of the U-14 squad with 17 players out of the 22, though their best player, Phoeun Sopheak, was ruled out before the competition with a knee injury. The AFC themselves do not release the results of the games played at the Festival. They prefer to keep the competitive edge out of the Festival and to concentrate more on the teamwork, friendship and sportsmanship elements of the 12-nation tournament. To that end, everyone is a winner.
The Cambodia line-ups for today's matches:
v Malaysia: (1st half): Chanvuthy, Noeut, Phearath, Titchhy, Senteang, Chanchav, Ravann, T Chhaya, Nuron, Hap, Sakrovy.
(2nd half): Pheakdey, Piphop, K Chhaya, Baraing, Sovann, Rozak, Chanpolin, Sodavid, Chansopheak, Muslim, Ponvuthy.
v Vietnam: (1st half): Pheakdey, Piphop, K Chhaya, Baraing, Sovann, Rozak, Chanpolin, Sodavid, Chansopheak, Muslim, Ponvuthy.
(2nd half): Chanvuthy, Noeut, Phearath, Titchhy, Senteang, Chanchav, Ravann, T Chhaya, Nuron, Hap, Sakrovy.
3 comments:
Coach Dary didn't get a single victory (even though he had trained the majority of the boys day in and day out for almost 1 yr) and you are still encouraged?
maybe cos he's a friend of yours? I am sure if the team is being lead by the former Korean coach, the stories and tone of manner in which you have written would be different even though the results would no doubt be the same.
Anon 9:36AM:
Read my lips...victory or defeat is not IMPORTANT at U-14 age level. Its how the boys play together, individually and are progressing in managing the fundamentals of the game. This is both the attitude of the AFC and Bouy Dary as the coach. To most fans the main point is win/draw/loss but at U-14 they are still learning the game and the key element is are they on the right track. And the Cambodian U-14s are definitely on the right track.
As for the coach himself, if you had seen him working with the Cambodian squad and with the PPCFC Academy then you know that you are talking out of your arse. He is the best-equipped coach at youth level that this country has and is without doubt the right man for the job. Forget the Korean, he's old news, and start thinking positive about the future of Cambodian football, under the guidance of Bouy Dary.
Andy
They have thousands of boys to pick from while Cambodia only have about 100 boys. Obviously, they've picked the best among those big boys that's why their teams are a lot bigger than our teams. Also our boys have only been trained for a year. The results could have been different if we have more boys to pick from like them. By the way, our academy is only 1 year old.
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