It just got worse

The final result on MyTV; Cambodia 1 Timor Leste 5

That tough proposition I mentioned for the Cambodian national team in qualifying for the final stage of the AFF Suzuki Cup, just got considerably harder, with an inept performance against Timor Leste in the opening fixture of the AFF Suzuki Cup. Two goals down at the interval, Cambodia succumbed to a 5-1 defeat by the final whistle and never looked like scoring until Keo Sokngorn won a penalty in injury time, which he converted. It was a performance without obvious passion, without attacking intent and one which coach Hok Sochetra will have to think long and hard about his approach to the tie. Playing a 4-1-4-1 formation, Khim Borey cut a lonely figure up front and without any invention from Sun Sopanha, Sos Suhana or Keo Sokngorn in midfield, and a lack of pace on the flanks, very little was seen of Cambodia in an offensive sense. Sochetra said before the game that he would field his best line-up and his comment; "I think Timor Leste have improved in the last two years and that this will not be an easy game for us," certainly came back to haunt him. Not only did Timor Leste make it uneasy for the Cambodian coach, they used their strength and height advantage to good effect, without really looking dangerous.
In the opening stages Alan Leandro came the closest for either team, flashing a header wide, before his cross was deftly nodded wide of keeper Sou Yaty by Murilo Ribeiro and crept inside the far post six minutes before the half-time break. Ribeiro was plying his trade in Indonesia recently and outjumped Om Thavrak to get his glancing header on target. A minute before the interval and Ribeiro put the Timorese into seventh heaven when he shrugged off Thavrak's attentions in the box and fired a low drive under Yaty's body to round off a quick counter-attack. Two goals to the good and it would only get worse for Cambodia after the break.
Ten minutes after the restart and Timor's Adelino Trindade hit a hopeful lob over Sou Yaty and it sailed into the top corner, much to everyone's surprise. On the hour mark the referee gave an indirect free-kick in the Cambodian box, a very strange decision, but the danger was averted until Trindade was on the scoresheet again, on 73 minutes, finishing off a run by Diogo Rangel that bamboozled the Khmer defence. Ten minutes from time and Tieng Tiny was lucky not to see a red card, bringing down Ribeiro as he raced through on goal. On 86 minutes, Ribeiro did break free and Yaty tussled with the striker outside and inside the box, which the referee deemed was sufficient for a penalty award. Five Timorese players debated over who should take the spot-kick until Leandro grabbed the ball and stroked home the penalty. As the clock ticked over into time added on, Ramon de Lima caught Keo Sokngorn from behind and the Boeung Ket player capped an otherwise anonymous game with a well-struck penalty to give Cambodia some scant consolation. But in reality it was a mere full stop to a game which Cambodia never looked like winning with their cautious approach from the start.
Cambodia line-Up: Yaty, Pancharong, Vibol, Thavrak, Tiny, Sopanha (Sothearath 61), Chhoeun (Saray 54), PM Udom (Vathanak 71), Sokngorn, Suhana, Borey. Bookings: Tiny, Thavrak.

The Cambodian starting line-up on MyTV