Crown claim 3rd

PPCFC v Changwon, back row, LtoR: Thierry, Hutchinson, Pheng, King, Srin, Ary. Front: Da, Sosela, Sothy, Borey, Sokumpheak (capt) - click to enlarge

Phnom Penh Crown rounded off their first visit to China with third place in the 2nd Nanning Asean International Tournament with a 1-0 victory in the 3rd place play-off against the South Korean team, Changwon Mechanical Technical High School in Nanning this afternoon. Kyle King turned out to be the match-winner with the only goal of the game on 83 minutes, which came with a stroke of good luck. As Crown pressed, the opposing keeper's clearance struck King and bounced over his head into the empty net. Against a young and well disciplined team, Crown edged it, with lots of possession but created few chances in the first half. After the break, Bin Thierry whipped in a great free-kick, only for it to be disallowed as it was an indirect kick and Thierry had misread the referee's instructions. From a corner Khim Borey's header was goal-bound until it hit the back of King's head and was cleared. And then with seven minutes to go. King's winner sealed it for Crown, who picked up a trophy and a cheque for $500. The competition's winners were Guangxi Nanning Runhua, who beat Crown 3-0 in the group stage, with a 2-0 win over their city rivals Guangxi Huanglongju FC. The PPCFC team return home on Thursday and have booked a practice match with AEU on Friday morning. The China trip gave Sam Schweingruber's squad some good competitive playing time as they prepare for the forthcoming season.

PPCFC v Changwon; Ary, Da, Pheng, Srin, Hutchinson (Sarak 80), Thierry, Sothy (Sophat 84), Sosela (Keo 85), Sokumpheak, Borey, King. Subs not used: Boris, Sokheng, Makara. Goal: King (83).

After-match celebration team photo for players, coaches and fans

Crown rout students

PPCFC v Laos. Back row, LtoR: Thierry, Srin, Boris, King, Pheng, Sarak. Front: Da, Sokheng, Ary, Borey, Sokumpheak (capt)

In an international club competition you never quite know what team you will be up against. On Thursday, Phnom Penh Crown went in blind and met the best team in the competition - the 2nd Nanning Asean International Tournament - and found the going a bit tough, losing 3-0 to the All China amateur champions, Guangxi Nanning Runhua FC. For their second match, on Friday, it was a completely different story as their opponents, Laos Youth were, as their name suggests, Laotian students and Crown steamrollered them with an 8-0 victory. In coach Sam Schweingruber's words; "They were stubborn for the first twenty minutes but we pushed them hard, were better in all areas and won easily. In the 2nd half we lacked concentration and despite much possession and chances, we didn't do as well as I would expect."

English-born trialist Kyle King was in the goals with four to his name but it was Khim Borey who started the rout with two goals in three minutes, his first a simple header from Touch Sokheng's corner and his second, a neat finish from a Kouch Sokumpheak pass. They arrived on 23 and 25 minutes. On the half hour King netted his first after Bin Thierry put Borey through and his dribble set up the striker. Six minutes King he got his second with a composed finish. Hong Pheng got his head to the ball to score after King's header rebounded back off the cross-bar with five minutes of the first half remaining. In time added on, King latched onto a deep ball, rounded the goalkeeper and claimed a first-half hat-trick. After the half-time break, Crown continued to dominate the game but didn't do themselves justice until two more goals in the last eight minutes. Pheng got his second after some nice combination build-up play and the last word went to King, with a minute to go, as he nodded in a headed pass from Sokumpheak. Maybe not the tough workout that Schweingruber would've been hoping for, but with a few players carrying knocks, a morale-boosting big win doesn't hurt anyone, except the opposition.
PPCFC v Laos Youth: Ary, Da (Makara 75), Sarak, Srin, Boris (Keo 40), Sokheng (Sothy 80), Thierry, Pheng, Sokumpheak, Borey (Sophat 75), King. Goals: King (30, 36, 46, 89), Borey (23, 25), Pheng (40, 82).

The Laos Youth team, thrashed 8-0 yesterday

Opening setback

PPCFC v Nanning Runhua. Back Row LtoR: Borey (capt), Pheng, Hutchinson, Boris, Srin, Ary. Front Row: Da, Sosela, Sokumpheak, Sokheng, Sothy

Phnom Penh Crown's adventures in China, in the city of Nanning in southern Guangxi province, didn't exactly get off to an auspicious start yesterday, when they were beaten 3-0 by Guangxi Nanning Runhua FC in the first match of the, wait for it, Huanglongju Real Estate Cup - The 2nd Nanning Asean International Football Invitation Tournament, featuring teams from Vietnam, Laos, Korea, China and of course Cambodia. It just so happens that the team facing Crown were the 2012 All China Champions League winners, which means they are the top amateur team in a country of 1.35 billion inhabitants. Obviously not a team to be taken lightly. Sam Schweingruber's men have a chance to redeem themselves when they meet Laos Youth this afternoon. The Crown head coach had this to say about yesterday's defeat. "They knew the hard and bouncy pitch, they were physically very strong and a good side. For the first 25 minutes we looked the better side before we fell behind to their only chance of the half. Thierry came on after half an hour and was very unlucky with a couple of chances before the break. Ten minutes into the 2nd half and we weren't well organized at a corner and conceded another. Five minutes later we didn't clear the danger when we had the chance and they made us pay again. Thierry and Borey went close to scoring but it was not to be. End result, we lost 3-nil, lots of things to learn especially not to give the opponents gift goals. Looks likely that Makara, Sosela and Hutchinson will not play today and two others are questionable."
PPCFC v Nanning: Ary, Da, Pheng (Sarak 80), Srin, Boris, Hutchinson (Kyle 46), Sothy (Thierry 30), Sokheng, Sosela (Keo 80), Borey, Sokumpheak (Sophat 80).

Guangxi Nanning Runhua FC, all Chinese champions in 2012, beat PPCFC 3-0

The PPCFC squad arrive at the stadium for morning training

The PPCFC squad before they take off for China, at Phnom Penh airport

Off to China

The Phnom Penh Crown first team squad head for Nanning in Southern China this afternoon, invited to take part in the 2nd Nanning Asean International Football Invitation Tournament, aka the Huanglongju Real Estate Cup, alongside teams from Vietnam, Laos, Korea and of course, China. China's stringent immigration rules have left Crown's African players back home, with coach Sam Schweingruber taking a 16-man squad for the competition. Their first match is on Friday (15 Nov) against Guangxi Nanning Runhua FC at 3pm at the 60,000 seater Nanning Stadium. They then play against Laos Youth FC the next day, Saturday (16 Nov) also at 3pm. Those 3 teams are in Group B. The teams in Group A are Lang Son City (Vietnam), Changwon (Korea) and Guangxi Huanglongju FC (China). On Tuesday (19 Nov) all the teams will play-off to decide where they finish, from sixth place to champions. The team will fly back to Phnom Penh on 21 November and are likely to play Western University in a practice match the following morning, as they continue their pre-season preparation build-up. Crown's season is due to begin in mid-December with the Hun Sen Cup and the C-League is slated to start in the second week of January. The 16-man squad for the Nanning tournament is: Ary, Pheng, Boris, Keo, Hutchinson, Sarak, Da, Srin, Sokheng, Thierry, Sothy, Sokumpheak, Borey, Makara, Sosela, King.