Stiff test for Crown

HV An Giang parading their latest signing, Phan Thanh Binh

I've just heard that Phnom Penh Crown will face a stiff test when they make a lightning-quick trip to Takeo before crossing the border into An Giang Province in Vietnam later this week. On Friday morning at 9am they will meet fellow C-Leaguer side Kirivong SSC in a practice match at the teacher Training College in Takeo town before heading for Long Xuyen, the provincial capital of An Giang Province. Then on Saturday afternoon at 3pm they will come face to face with the newest club in the top tier of the Vietnam League, Hung Vuong An Giang FC. With the V-League season scheduled to start in January, HV An Giang are in the midst of their preparation and recently defeated the Vietnam U-23s in a friendly. The game with Crown will take place at their 15,200-capacity stadium in Long Xuyen, with the club having been promoted after a 3rd-place finish in Division 1 last season. They have gone out and added considerable weight to their squad in the off season including one of Vietnam's best strikers, Thanh Binh, only 27-years old and the scorer of 13 goals in 24 appearances for the national team. He arrives from Dong Tam Long. Their foreign imports include Togolese defender Vincent Bossou from Binh Duong, as well as naturalized Brazilian goalkeeper Phan Van Santos from the same club. The 6 feet 6 inch 36-year old made two appearances for the Vietnam national team. Expected to be amongst the goals next season is Felix Ajala, a highly-rated Nigerian striker signed from Kien Giang. A bunch of experienced Vietnamese players have also been signed with the obvious intention to cement their place in the top flight in their debut season. But first they take on the might of Phnom Penh Crown this Saturday.