No match for Crown

PPCFC v YMA. Back LtoR: Chamrouen, Boris, Dary, Lika, Hasan, Seyha. Front: Narin, Makara, Morslim, Dara, Sothy. Click to enlarge

Coach Sam Schweingruber gave a run-out to his Phnom Penh Crown squad players and a few others in a practice match at RSN Stadium this afternoon, beating new faces YMA (Youth Master Advanced School) FC 6-3 in the process. It should've been a lot more but Crown didn't kill off the game until late on. YMA had the prolific Nelson Oladiji in their ranks and he netted twice, one from the penalty spot, and was always a danger. Schweingruber was without his five national team players and Ngoy Srin, sitting out the match with a trapped nerve in his neck. He started with former Army center-half Leng Narin and Crown took the lead after just four minutes when Kok Boris sidefooted a pull-back from Men Seyha past the busy YMA goalkeeper from fifteen yards. Ouk Sothy had a low drive saved before YMA grabbed a leveller on 18 minutes when Nelson Oladiji broke from the half-way line and finished with ease. Nelson was one of the top scorers in the C-League last season with National Police. Ly Morslim screwed his header wide at the far post and Boris had another shot saved before Leng Makara headed Crown back into the lead on 27 minutes. Sothy's corner was met by the jump of Makara and his header crashed against the cross-bar on its way into the net. Boris and Mart Hasan both fluffed further chances before Sam Chamrouen dived full length to keep out a powerful Oladiji header late in the first half.

The 2nd half saw a glut of goals, beginning just two minutes from the restart, as Makara won a tackle to collect Seyha's cross and poked the ball over the line. On 56 minutes YMA netted a penalty through Oladiji after the referee ruled a shot struck Chea Dara's hand, when it actually struck his face. The YMA keeper was being kept busy with Hasan and Hong Pheng bringing out the best in the custodian, and when he saved again from Pheng, Hasan blasted the rebound wildly over from six yards out. In the 69th minute, a 20-yard Boris drive was saved but Sothy was on hand to roll the loose ball over the line. YMA netted their third four minutes later. Pheng rounded the keeper but found a defender scuttling back to save his shot and then turned on a sixpence but saw his fierce drive strike the cross-bar. With eight minutes remaining, Pheng's perseverance paid off when he rose to head in Sothy's well-flighted corner kick and then claimed a second with three minutes left on the clock. Boris took off on a trademark run into the box, passed to Pheng and the striker's shot was straight and true from fifteen yards out to end the scoring at 6-3 to Crown.
PPCFC v YMA: Chamrouen, Dara (Kano 56), Seyha (Phearun 68), Lika, Narin (Rady 72), Dary (Pheng 56), Sothy, Boris, Makara (Seu Chaneng 83), Morslim (Antonio Domingo 68), Hasan (Da 83). Subs not used; Ary. Bookings: None.

Kok Boris (18) on one of his trademark thrusts into the penalty area