Crown kick-off in style

PPCFC v Laos TV line-up: Back LtoR: Srin, Boris, Seyha, Rady, Pheng, Thierry. Front: Makara, Seiha, Suhana, Dani, Borey (capt). Click to enlarge

The BPTV Cup burst into life for Phnom Penh Crown this afternoon as they demolished their first opponents in Pool B of the competition, the Laos National TV team. Crown ran out easy 5-1 winners but with more composure in front of goal it should've been a lot more. Head coach Sam Schweingruber admitted his team began nervously before taking control and destroying the opposition after the interval. Captain for the day, Khim Borey slotted home a 20th minute penalty kick to calm Crown nerves after Men Seyha was felled on the edge of the box. If they thought they'd have it their own way, the Laos team thought otherwise and levelled eight minutes later, and it needed a brilliant one-handed save by Samrith Seiha to keep it that way, moments later. Borey fluffed a couple of good opportunities as the teams went in all-square at the break. Ten minutes into the second half and Hong Pheng's tricky run and persistence paid off with a lucky bounce that allowed him to slot Crown back in the driving seat. Another ten minutes later and substitute Mart Hasan finished calmly following a Bin Thierry pass that sent Pheng to the bye-line and his pull-back was inch perfect. Thierry and Kok Boris had long range efforts tipped over before Pheng headed his second on 76 minutes, standing all alone as Seyha's cross was floated in. Borey rounded off the scoring spree, with a simple tap-in after another Seyha run and sweet low cross. Bookings for Boris, Pheak Rady, Ngoy Srin and Ouk Sothy were undeserved according to the coach and may count against Crown later in the competition. They will now meet the Hanoi T&T U-21 team on Friday. Hanoi were three goals to the good against Preah Khan Reach in the earlier game before PKR stormed back to draw 3-3. 
PPCFC line-up: Seiha, Dani, Seyha, Srin, Rady (Lika 75), Boris (Dara 75), Thierry, Makara (Hasan 49), Suhana (Sothy 58), Pheng (Pisa 80), Borey. Subs not used: Ary, Da, Phearun, Kano. Bookings: Boris, Rady, Srin, Sothy. To see the match highlights on YouTube, click here.