Sunday, July 22, 2012

Dan the man

Dan Ito, the matchwinner for BBU - courtesy of Masayori Ishikawa
It was a day for the underdogs in the Metfone C-League this afternoon at Olympic Stadium, and a day for celebration by the two student teams who caused major upsets. First up was the Western University team's 1-0 win over Kirivong, thanks to a looping header from Oum Tola on 72 minutes. The Uni team simply wouldn't lie down and their Takeo-based opponents didn't have enough firepower to get past the student keeper Ngoy Boranoch, despite busy sub Chaing Sophal looking lively whenever he got the ball. Kirivong had three consecutive headers late on which they should've done better with but it was the day of the underdog and Western lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with this rare win. In the second game, it was the turn of Build Bright United, to create mayhem in the race for the Super 4 play-off spots with a surprise single goal victory over fourth-placed Boeung Ket. The Rubbermen pulled the strings in the first half but sat back and allowed BBU to push forward in the 2nd half and new face Badmus Bolaji watched in horror as his four-yard header cannoned back off the crossbar. In a stop-start game with half a dozen bookings, Boeung Ket also struck the woodwork when Friday Nwakuna hit a rasping shot against the upright but it was BBU who had the last laugh. In the third minute of time added on, a hopeful punt forward was seized upon by their skipper Dan Ito, and the well-travelled Japanese import sent a half-volley into the net to begin the celebrations. The win puts BBU on level points with Phnom Penh Crown and the Army, just a point behind their beaten opponents.

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