Kingdom of football: Another cricket score for Crown

PPCFC U-15s Line-up, back row LtoR: Chhaya, Baraing, Sovannaroth, Chanchav, Samnang. Front Row: Piphop, Piseth, Noeut, Rafat, David, Ronaldo - click to enlarge

It took Kim Chhaya just five minutes to curl a free-kick inside the near post to trigger another avalanche of goals for Phnom Penh Crown's U-15s in their Cambodian U-15 Youth League encounter against Chhlam Samuth, aka the Navy, on Sunday morning. The game was played at the Tonle Bati national training center, some 35kms from Phnom Penh, far from ideal for two city-based teams. Two minutes after the opener and a Navy defender blasted the ball past his own keeper from Men Piphop's low cross. Both Chhaya and skipper Suon Noeut were guilty of missing guilt-edged chances with Chhaya chipping his onto the cross-bar. Piphop stepped up to net the opening goal of a 1st-half hat-trick on 27 minutes from Noeut's pass, and three minutes later rounded the keeper to score again. Chhaya continued the rout with a 1st-time finish from Piphop's pass and Noeut finally found the net after 35 minutes from Chhaya's set-up. Chhaya also laid on Piphop for his hat-trick five minutes before the break and two minutes later claimed his own treble, after Piphop's shot was blocked. Sixty seconds later and Nop David was denied by the Navy keeper but Mao Piseth tucked in the loose ball to give Crown a 9-goal interval lead. The Navy had not even managed a shot in 45 minutes.

Chhaya missed two easy chances before Noeut took advantage of a poor goal-kick to net a tenth goal and the first of eight second-half goals for the captain. Noeut and Seut Baraing struck the woodwork before a Chhaya chip set up Noeut for another. On 64 minutes, Lim Pisoth's pass gave Chhaya his fourth and a minute later, Piseth unlocked the defence again for Noeut to score. With Chhaya's last touch before he was rested, he slotted in Noeut and two minutes later, Noeut was on hand to fire home David's byeline pull back. Piphop grabbed his fourth with a weaving run past three defenders on 72 minutes and Noeut's seventh came as Pisoth's pass saw him skate around the keeper to score. Piphop's unselfish pass gave Noeut an easy finish before Baraing's precise curling free-kick registered on 82 minutes from the edge of the box. Noeut won a tackle and rolled into the corner of the net for Crown's 20th and David claimed the final strike with three minutes to go, after a poke forward by Piphop. There was still time for Phlong Sokraksa to chip onto the cross-bar. An emphatic win for Crown's U-015s, who didn't let up despite the ease with which they penetrated their opponents defensive line. Noeut's 9 goal haul takes his tally to 24 in just three games, though MOTM goes to Kim Chhaya with 4 goals and 5 assists in his 68 minutes on the pitch.
U-15s v Navy; Rafat, Ronaldo (Chanmony 64), Sovannaroth, Samnang, Baraing, Chanchav (Pisoth 55), Piphop, N David, Piseth (Kakada 86), Chhaya (Sokraksa 68), Noeut. Subs not used: Saphy. MOTM: Chhaya - a glut of goals and assists. Goals: Noeut 9 (35, 51, 61, 65, 67, 69, 74, 76, 85), Chhaya 4 (5, 33, 42, 64), Piphop 4 (27, 30, 40, 72), Piseth (43), Baraing (83), N David (87), Own Goal (7).