The BPTV Cup draw

The PPCFC squad enjoy a photo op at Gold City Casino. Click to enlarge

Phnom Penh Crown will kick-off their pre-season preparation in Vietnam tomorrow when they meet unknown opposition in the form of a Laos TV team, in Pool B of the invitational Binh Phuoc TV Cup 2012, being played in Dong Xoai, the capital of Binh Phuoc province, located just north of Ho Chi Minh City. The Crown team left Phnom Penh on Sunday morning, stopping for lunch at the Gold City casino on the border at Trapeang Sre, before heading to their hotel in Dong Xoai. The draw for the tournament, two groups of four teams each, was made at the team manager's session this morning and paired Crown with local rivals Preah Khan Reach, as well as the Laos TV team and the Hanoi T&T U-21s from Vietnam. The draw for Pool B is as follows;
Wed 21 Nov: v Laos TV - 3:30pm
Fri 23 Nov: v Hanoi T&T U-21s - 1:30pm
Sun 25 Nov: v Preah Khan Reach - 1:30pm
The semi-finals will be on Wednesday 28 November and the final two days later, Friday 30th. In the other group, C-League champs Boeung Ket face the national U-21s from Laos, Ho Chi Minh City and hosts Binh Phuoc. Two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals. Crown head coach Sam Schweingruber will select from a squad of 22 players. Club captain Kouch Sokumpheak is with the squad but is still some way off returning to the team, still undergoing rehabilitation from the knee ligament injury he suffered in July.

The PPCFC squad out shopping in Dong Xoai, Vietnam