Double-header victories

PPCFC v Radio 104.70. 1st half, back row, LtoR: Sosela, Da, Boris, Srin, Pheng, Ary. Front Row: Sothy, Boran, Sokheng, Borey, Sokumpheak - click to enlarge

Phnom Penh Crown had a double-header weekend with two practice matches as they step up their pre-season preparations. In a few days they will be off to China for a week to take part in a club tournament. In the meantime, their destination on Saturday was Kompong Chhnang, nearly two hours north and a game against a local team, Radio 104.70 Kompong Chhnang. The match was played on the provincial pitch in the center of the town and from the kick-off it was a one-sided affair with Crown dominating from start to finish. The city slickers ran out 5-0 winners at the final whistle but it should've been many more. The playing surface was tricky to say the least, with the ball bobbling and bouncing in all directions, making controlled shooting a tough task. In fact, the locals didn't manage a shot on or off target in the ninety minutes. Coach Sam Schweingruber started with an all-Khmer team from the outset and they had to wait until the 15th minute for their first goal. Kouch Sokumpheak had already fired against an upright and shots had rained in from all directions, before Neou Sosela shimmied past two players and set up Khim Borey for a well-directed strike from a dozen yards out. Two minutes later and Borey was at it again, taking a pass from Hong Pheng, bypassing two defenders and firing a shot in off the far post. On 20 minutes Crown made it three as Sokumpheak and Sosela combined on the right and the latter's low shot was tapped in at the far post by Long Boran. The visitors, making their second trip to the provincial city in the past twelve months, held onto the ball and created more opportunities but failed to take them. Schweingruber changed the whole team at the break, except for Yok Ary in goal, who was a spectator throughout. Eight minutes in and Um Tola got his name on the scoresheet after Kyle King harried a defender and the keeper to a long ball forward and Tola reaped the benefits of the loose ball. Arsene Ndougou struck a vicious 30-yard effort that sailed inches wide of the top corner, George Bisan, Chea Dara and King all went close before Bisan walloped in goal number five. Cutting inside two defenders he let rip with a 20-yard effort that nestled in the far corner on 74 minutes. Bun Keo and Ndougou should've done better with two more chances as Crown saw out the game in total command. An easy game for Crown but an opportunity to make new friends, watched by a sizeable crowd and for most of the squad to get 45 minutes under their belts. Bin Thierry, back from three games with the Cambodia U-23s, made a late appearance as a substitute.
PPCFC v Radio 104.70: Ary, Da (Dara 46 (Morslim 77)), Pheng (Keo 46), Srin (Obadin 46), Boris (Sarak 46), Sokheng (Hutchinson 46), Sothy (Tola 46), Sokumpheak (Pisa 46 (Thierry 77)), Borey (Ndougou 46), Boran (King 46), Sosela (Bisan 46). All subs used. Bookings: None. MOTM: Sokumpheak - worked hard. Goals: Borey 2 (15, 17), Boran (20), Tola (52), Bisan (74).

2nd half v Radio 104.70, back row, LtoR: Ndougou, King, Hutchinson, Obadin, Bisan, Ary. Front: Keo, Sarak, Pisa, Dara, Tola - click to enlarge

Sunday morning was the second game of the weekend with Asia Euro University providing the opposition in what turned out to be another satisfactory pre-season practice game, this time played at the RSN Stadium in Tuol Kork. Crown opened the scoring on 19 minutes as Liam Hutchinson sent Neou Sosela scampering down the right wing and his low cross was volleyed in with ease by Touch Sokheng from six yards out. Khim Borey sent a half-volley inches wide of the target before AEU levelled on 32 minutes with an superbly arrowed free-kick from 25 yards that went straight into the top corner. Unstoppable. Kouch Sokumpheak's effort was kept out by the AEU keeper Mak Theara, who then missed a Sokumpheak cross to Sokheng who headed wide of an open goal. Four minutes before the half-time break, Sokumpheak took Borey's pass around the keeper and set up Ouk Sothy who couldn't miss from five yards out to send Crown 2-1 ahead at the interval. Changes galore affected the game's flow as is often the case in these type of matches, and it wasn't until the 70th minute that Khim Borey's aim was true as he slotted into the corner of the net from Hong Pheng's pass. With ten minutes left, Sokumpheak scored from the penalty spot after Arsene Ndougou had been needlessly tripped. Four minutes later, George Bisan made the keeper pay for a sloppy kick out and smacked in number five for Crown. There was still time for Bin Thierry to have a free-kick tipped over the cross-bar and for Theara to race out of his goal and take the ball off Ndougou's toe as he looked destined to score. Job done, a 5-1 win and another game in the locker before the club head to China next Thursday.
PPCFC v AEU: Ary, Da (Titchhy 83), Pheng (Dara 83), Srin (Boran 69), Boris (Sarak 83), Hutchinson (Obadin 56), Sothy (Bisan 74), Sokheng (Ndougou 74), Sokumpheak (Tola 80), Borey (Thierry 74), Sosela (King 64). Subs not used: Soksela, Keo, Pisa, Morslim, Baraing. Bookings: None. MOTM: Sokumpheak - unselfish play. Goals: Sokheng (19), Sothy (41), Borey (70), Sokumpheak pen (80), Bisan (84).

PPCFC v AEU back row, LtoR: Da, Boris, Pheng, Hutchinson, Srin, Ary. Front: Borey, Sothy, Sokheng, Sosela, Sokumpheak - click to enlarge