In the news today

The Football Federation have invited 29 players to attend Cambodian national team training beginning on Monday, ahead of the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifying competition to be held in October, which is seven months away. Seven Phnom Penh Crown players have been named in the provisional list and they are: Sou Yaty, Hong Pheng, Kok Boris, Bin Thierry, Sos Suhana, Kouch Sokumpheak and Khim Borey. The rest of the training squad call-up are: (Boeung Ket) Pancharong, Vathanaka, Sokngon, Samoeun, Sovan, Laboravy; (Naga) Rithy, Thavrak, Sovannrithy; (TriAsia) Chanrasmey, Simay, Sinoun, Virak, Dani; (Army) Vichet, Chhoeun, Soksana, Khemrin; (Svay Rieng) P M Udom, Sophea; (Nat Police) Piseth, Ol Ravy.

Breaking news of former Phnom Penh Crown head coach David Booth who has just taken charge of Lao Toyota FC of Vientiane in the Laos Premier League. He was the head coach of former Indian League champions Salgaocar last season before leaving and seeking a new appointment. That came earlier this week and it's a return to a country where David was the national team coach in 2010.

The 2014 Hun Sen Cup was won by National Police with a 2-0 win over BBU in the final at Olympic Stadium this evening. Goals by Noun Borey and Ol Ravy clinched it, and Police also picked up the top keeper (Prak Phearun) and most valuable player (Tith Dina) awards too. Boeung Ket's Khuon Labvoravy won top scorer award with 14 goals.

Naga lose the plot

Fun and games in the third place play-off for the Hun Sen Cup on Wednesday. I didn't go so missed all the shenanigans but it sounds like NagaCorp completely lost the plot at an injury-time penalty award in favour of Boeung Ket by referee Lim Bunthoeun. Temperatures were high anyway after a see-saw game which was pegged at 3-3 when Bunthoeun caused the uproar, just as everyone assumed the game was heading into extra time. Naga objected, very strongly by the pictures I've seen, and refused to allow Boeung Ket to take the penalty, standing between the penalty spot and the goal-line. The referee retreated and after fifteen minutes of time-wasting, he blew his whistle to end the game. Match result 3-3 but of course Naga quite rightly deserve to forfeit the match because of their unprofessional behaviour. Player power cannot be allowed to influence matches. Earlier in the game Boeung Ket were guilty of similar histrionics when Naga were awarded a penalty and Touch Pancharong was seen to push the referee in the chest. No action was taken. Bunthoeun isn't one of the country's most experienced referees, having been on the panel a relatively short time and will now be in Naga's bad books for the rest of his career. As for Naga, the FFC should fine them heavily and warn their players and management that this cannot happen again. In fact it has happened already, when Naga threatened to walk off in a game against Phnom Penh Crown three years ago. The FFC have got to take decisive action to warn clubs about this type of behaviour which clearly brings the game into disrepute. There have been a series of similar incidents over the last few years and its got to stop. Now.

Favourites fall from grace

It all went tits-up for the favourites in yesterday's Hun Sen Cup semi-finals. Boeung Ket and NagaCorp were already thinking about next Saturday's final, or so it appeared, judging by their ineffectual performances against their lesser-fancied opponents. Build Bright United had already shown with their win over Phnom Penh Crown a few days before, that they can spring a surprise, and they did it again as they took the game to the Rubbermen from the start. Despite a few near misses for Boeung Ket, including a long range effort from Chan Vathanaka that struck the crossbar, BBU were more than a match for the competition faves. The quality of football by both teams was disappointing, as it was in the second semi-final, though the pitch at the Olympic Stadium is not exactly conducive to a free-flowing passing style. BBU's winner came from Prum Putsethy, with an over-the-shoulder hit and hope that befuddled Peng Bunchhay and proved to be the game's only highlight, moments before the interval. Under the floodlights, National Police showed their battling qualities as they dug deep to inflict an extra-time 1-goal win over NagaCorp. Again, the football on offer wouldn't win any prizes for excellence, but Police won't mind a jot and it took a typical Tith Dina shot, through a crowd of legs, to settle this semi-final. So a far-from-expected cup final line-up next Saturday, under lights, as BBU meet Police, kick-off 5.30pm. The losing teams will meet in the 3rd place play-off on Wednesday.

Cup Fever

Going out at the quarter-final stage after yesterdays Hun Sen Cup matches were Phnom Penh Crown, Svay Rieng, Army and Kirivong. Going through to Sunday's semi-finals are BBU, Boeung Ket (or is it Beoung Ket, they can't decide), National Police and NagaCorp.

So how did the QFs pan out? As we know, BBU sprang the biggest surprise by scoring the only goal of the game at the Old Stadium. Rim Bunheang's free-kick just before half-time did the damage though Crown will feel aggrieved on many fronts, not least their own woeful finishing. Over at Cheng Meng, the Police put paid to Army hopes with a 2-1 win. Still no idea why the game was moved over to Cheng Meng, miles out of the city. At the Olympic Stadium, Naga scraped through with a Teab Vathanak goal downing Kirivong under the lights. In the earlier game, Boeung Ket smacked Svay Rieng 5-1 with all five goals scored by different players. Prak Mony Udom netted Svay Rieng's consolation. In Sunday's semi-finals, BBU will meet Boeung Ket (3.30pm) and National Police take on NagaCorp (6pm) at Olympic Stadium.

Crown crash out

PPCFC v BBU, back row, LtoR: Yaty, Suhana, Makara, Boris, Srin, Sokumpheak. Front Row: Da, Boran, Sothy, Pheng, Borey - click to enlarge

Result: Phnom Penh Crown 0 BBU 1 (Hun Sen Cup Quarter-Final).
Expectations were high in the Crown camp as they faced Build Bright United, who they beat 5-0 in the league a couple of weeks earlier, for this Hun Sen Cup quarter-final tie, played at the Old Stadium. With no foreign involvement in this Khmer-only competition, also missing was midfield ace Bin Thierry with an ankle injury. In a match that was interrupted by referee Khuon Virak's whistle from the very beginning, the opening stages failed to ignite the sizeable crowd with Leng Makara heading over with Crown's first real attempt, while Sou Yaty fumbled a 40-yard free-kick by Rim Bunheang, only to recover the ball at the second attempt. After twenty minutes, Sos Suhana's dart into the penalty area was ended as he was upended from behind by Thai Phalla but Virak adjudged it not worthy of a penalty. Everyone watching disagreed. BBU were given more free-kick opportunities by the match referee with Yaty punching one away from danger, while Makara sent another header wide at the other end. Eight minutes before the break, BBU saw their best chance go begging as Phlong Chanthou blasted the ball against the cross-bar after yet another free-kick, feel at his feet. Khim Borey broke quickly and his cross was turned behind as Crown pressed, while Ouk Sothy's byeline center hit Makara and bounced to safety. With a minute to go of normal time, Virak awarded a free-kick against Kok Boris twenty-three yards from goal. Video replays show there was no contact whatsoever. Bunheang got his angles spot-on and curled the ball around the wall and out of Yaty's reach for the opening goal of the cup tie. On the stroke of half-time, Makara ballooned Crown's easiest opportunity over the bar, when Kouch Sokumpheak's corner was touched on by Suhana after BBU keeper Sos Proshim fumbled, but the striker missed the target from a few yards out. 

A minute after the restart, Chanthou appeared to push Sokumpheak as they challenged for the ball inside the BBU penalty area, but again Virak was having none of it. Play on. A dangerous two-footed tackle on Borey by Noun Phanith only merited a yellow, and Sokumpheak curled the free-kick just over the top. Another free-kick for Borey, went past the near post, and both Sokumpheak and Makara sent headers wide of the target. With twenty minutes to go, Neou Sosela, on as a sub, pounced on a loose ball after Sokumpheak and Proshim had tangled on the edge of the area, but the winger found the cross-bar instead of the gaping goal and a certain leveller was gone. It was all Crown at this stage, with BBU killing the game by persistently falling over and calling for the stretcher-bearers. Sokumpheak cut in from a short corner but his aim was wayward, and his header from Touch Sokheng's cross went straight into the arms of Proshim. As the 4th official posted six minutes of injury time, Sokheng sent a good chance harmlessly wide and as Crown searched in vain, they were caught by a breakaway only for Pech Sina to head wide with the goal at his mercy. The final whistle arrived and the look on the faces of the Crown players said it all. An inglorious end to their Hun Sen Cup hopes for the season. 

Head coach Sam Schweingruber's after-match verdict: "I'm very disappointed with the result but also with the performance. In midfield we were never sorted out, way too many long balls, turning the ball over and we certainly missed Thierry in the middle, keeping possession, switching play and patiently building-up. Very disappointed with how the referee saw the game, but that's the 2nd thought. The first thought is the disappointment with the team performance. Missing an empty goal, we should've scored a sitter right before halftime, and we hit the crossbar with an open goal in the 2nd half. Those are key moments when you have to score. Their goal was not a foul at all. It was about the sixth free kick given but I didn't see anything wrong. I haven't looked at the video, but for me nothing wrong with the challenges at all. How the referee can give 6-7 free kicks from similar positions, again and again, I didn't see a foul, and believe the referee saw what he wanted to see happening and it resulted in a goal. A couple of situations in the game where I'm very disappointed with how the ref viewed things. In particular Suhana's dart into the box, from my perspective it looked like a foul, but not given. These things change games. Now we must get them back on their feet. Give the boys a few days off to get over the disappointment and then look at ways to come back even stronger and focus on the league." 
PPCFC v BBU: Yaty, Pheng, Da (Tola 84), Srin, Boris, Sothy, Sokumpheak, Suhana (Sokheng 80), Makara, Boran (Sosela 59), Borey. Subs not used: Ary, Soksela, Sarak, Tola, Sosela, Dara, Phearun, Sokheng, Morslim, Pisa. Bookings: None. MOTM: Sokumpheak - gave 110%.

Kouch Sokumpheak (10) leads out PPCFC before the Hun Sen Sup tie

Borey seals the win

PPCFC v Nat Police, back row, LtoR: Srin, Boris, Sokheng, Borey, Ary, Sokumpheak (capt). Front: Sothy, Da, Suhana, Pheng, Thierry - click to enlarge

Result: Phnom Penh Crown 1 National Police 0 (Hun Sen Cup - Pool C).
With TriAsia winning 15-1 earlier in the day, Phnom Penh Crown knew they had yo get at least a point from tonight's evening kick-off at the Olympic Stadium in order to progress into the quarter-finals. National Police, their opponents were already assured of a place, but who would top the group. Crown were without Leng Makara, enjoying a special match of his own, his marriage, while Neou Sosela was suspended and Long Boran out with a knee injury. Yok Ary got the nod over Sou Yaty between the sticks, as he has done for all three cup matches. The first ten or so minutes passed without incident before Police had their goalkeeper Thorng Chanraksmey to thank for two spectacular saves to keep Crown at bay. On fourteen minutes Khim Borey fed Sos Suhana and his shot from 15 yards was pushed one-handed around the post by the stopper. From the corner, Suhana's weak effort was pounced on by Kouch Sokumpheak just eight yards out, but Chanraksmey somehow managed to get a palm to his piledriver and a corner was the result. Moments later, Touch Sokheng pulled-back his delivery to the edge of the box, where Bin Thierry blasted his shot well over the bar. Little had been seen of Police as an attacking force though Noun Borey's drive was blocked by Kok Boris for a corner. On 33 minutes, an unforced error by Chanraksmey was to haunt him for the rest of this cup tie. Thourng Da's lofted cross from the left flank was a bread and butter catch for the keeper, but he dropped it behind his head and Khim Borey, lurking at the far post, stuck out a foot and Crown were a goal ahead. It was Borey's eighth goal of the competition. A few minutes later, Yok Ary took an age to clear his lines and Borey nearly robbed him, then Thierry sent a long range free-kick into Chanraksmey's hands and to close the half, a clearance from Hong Pheng saw Borey spurt into the Police box but there was no-one on the end of his cross. A comfortable first-half for Crown who went in deservedly a goal front.

Crown keeper Ary got a hand to Ol Ravy's curling free-kick early in the second half, before Khim Borey sent a shot past the post and then crossed invitingly but Suhana and Thierry both failed to get a decisive touch in front of goal. Fifteen minutes in and Boris was booked after he vented his frustration at referee Thong Chankethya, in charge of a Crown game for the second time in five days. Police, in his view, had handled the ball twice during a build-up that saw Lun Chamroeun blast his shot over the top. A couple of minutes later and Tith Dina clipped the top of the Crown cross-bar with a snap shot, which was the closest Police came all evening. Thierry send a shot well wide and then Suhana's cross saw Chanraksmey collide with a defender, and with both on the ground, Khim Borey's effort was stopped at the foot of the post by Say Piseth. That was the last we saw of Chanraksmey who was replaced. A minute later and Suhana's break into the box was cleared, before Sokumpheak's perfect cross bounced too high for Borey with just the keeper to beat, and all he could do was punt it into the air. Ary was called into action to drop on a back-header from Srey Udom and as Police pressed late on, Boris again was in the way of a San Thydeth goal-bound drive. Five minutes of added on time made no difference as Crown collected the three points to end the group matches on top with 7 points from their three games, and book a quarter-final tie with BBU in a week's time. In the match before this one, BBU had drawn 2-2 with Army.

Crown head coach Sam Schweingruber gave his view of the tie: "I was quite surprised at how passionate and intense Police were, considering they'd already qualified. They pushed to try and get a result. Against a physically strong, hard-working team, it wasn't an easy game for us and we didn't help ourselves, we are still not at that level of patience and not relaxed enough in situations, rushing things and giving away possession too quickly and putting ourselves under pressure. So in that sense, it was a real hard-fought victory and one we can be proud of, Police challenged us and we certainly had to be at our best. I'm very pleased with the overall defensive work of the team, who managed to keep a clean sheet, particularly at set pieces, which we worked on - we were much more switched on today. Now we meet BBU, and we cannot be complacent after our recent win over them. Games against them are never easy and I will make sure the players understand that ahead of the Quarter-Final next week."
PPCFC v Nat Police: Ary, Pheng, Da, Srin, Boris, Thierry, Sothy (Morslim 84), Sokumpheak, Sokheng (Tola 62), Suhana (Dara 89), Borey. Subs not used: Yaty, Soksela, Sarak, Titchhy, Pisa, Phearun. Bookings: Srin, Boris, Pheng. MOTM: Boris - a rock in defence. Goal: Borey (33).

A baker's dozen

PPCFC v K Chhnang, back row, LtoR: Makara, Boris, Thierry, Srin, Pheng, Sarak. Front Row: Boran, Suhana, Ary, Borey, Sokumpheak - click to enlarge

Result: Kompong Chhnang 0 Phnom Penh Crown 13 (Hun Sen Cup Pool C).
In cup matches, like this Hun Sen Cup Pool C tie, when minnows are pitched against the bigger clubs, the outcome is virtually guaranteed before the game begins. A giant-killing is very unlikely. And that's how it proved to be when Crown met qualifiers Kompong Chhnang at the Army Stadium this afternoon. The first-half proved to be a frustrating 45 minutes for the big-boys, with the bounce of the pitch making it virtually impossible to control the ball with certainty. Head coach Sam Schweingruber later had this to say about his team's opening. "The 1st half was embarrassing, we were rushing it and nervous for no reason, making a lot of silly mistakes, contrary to how we trained yesterday." And so it proved, with Crown creating more than fifteen clear goalscoring opportunities but only cashing in on three occasions. Long Boran was first to test goalkeeper Morn Kosal in the fifth minute, with the visitors going up the other end immediately and could've taken the lead but skipper Keo Chandara lobbed the ball weakly into Yok Ary's hands. Boran then blasted the ball against the cross-bar before Khim Borey opened the scoring in the 10th minute, turning on a Ngoy Srin pass and sending a left-foot drive into the bottom corner. Other chances came and went before Bin Thierry tried his luck from 20 yards and the bounce beat Kosal's flapping dive with 28 minutes on the clock. Borey bent down to send a header wide, Sos Suhana somehow managed to get his header over the bar from a foot away and Leng Makara prodded against the upright after Kosal had turned Kouch Sokumpheak's shot into his path. A minute before the break, Crown scored a third when Borey touched a Sokumpheak pass onto the post and though Kosal appeared to smother it in time, the linesman flagged that the ball had crossed the line.

After their half-time team rally, Crown almost scored withing 43 seconds of the restart but Borey failed to get a decisive touch to Suhana's pass. Chhnang's Ou Leangheng should've got on the scoresheet as they caught the home side napping, but he screwed his golden opportunity wide. Hong Pheng did the same when Borey set him up, missing the target when it seemed easier to score. Nine minutes into the 2nd period and Crown were back on the goal trail. Thierry's through ball allowed Makara to get a touch past Kosal and the ball rolled into an empty net. It was very much one-way traffic as Crown pushed on for a hatful of goals and Sokumpheak worked a neat interchange with Borey but found Kosal's trailing leg in his way. On 57 minutes, Sokumpheak weaved into the box and though his shot was deflected, Makara was poaching at the far post to turn it in. Two minutes later, Pheng found Borey and his left-foot drive found the corner once more for Crown's sixth and Borey's hat-trick. Kosal was the busiest man on the pitch, blocking shots from Boran twice and Makara before Sokumpheak got on the scoresheet, reacting the quickest after his first shot was saved, to fire home the bouncing loose ball on 64 minutes. Pheng lashed a shot against the cross-bar and Suhana blasted over when well placed before Borey was back in the groove, finishing off a pass from Sokumpheak with twenty minutes to go.

Three minutes later, Ngoy Sastra tried to clear Pheng's goal-bound touch past Kosal, but ended up kicking it into his own net and a minute on, Suhana was on the spot at the far post, after Borey's shot was blocked, for Crown's tenth. Refusing to take their foot off the peddle, Um Tola was felled as he broke into the area but Borey had to wait to take his penalty kick, and when he did he smacked it against the foot of the upright. Soon after Tola inexplicably headed wide at the far post from Borey's cross, Kosal spread himself low to turn Suhana's shot for a corner and Tola again missed a sitter, as he scuffed the ground instead of the ball, from another Borey pass. Four minutes to go and Borey got a flicked header to Pheng's center to send the ball past Kosal, followed quickly by another Tola miss, again heading Borey's cross wide of the upright. It did come right for the substitute, on the stroke of full-time, when he raced onto a Sokumpheak pass and slotted the ball neatly past Kosal. A minute into injury time and Borey completed a double hat-trick when he took his time from Pheng's cross, composed himself and fired in Crown's 13th, a baker's dozen and definitely unlucky for Kompong Chhnang. There was still time for Thierry and Borey to send shots over the bar before the referee had seen enough carnage for one day and called time. I counted 26 goalscoring chances for Crown in the second half - they converted ten of them. Schweingruber's view at the final whistle. "I think we did a lot of things not as we could or should, but all in all we can be happy with the 2nd half in particular. The other team is an amateur team, they don't have the qualities or proper training so you expect to win comfortably. It took us a long time to get into a good rhythm and doing things the way we wanted to. I was glad that we sorted it out in the 2nd half, the players showed me some good signs after the break, when it was a lot better."
PPCFC v Kompong Chhnang: Ary, Srin, Pheng, Sarak, Boris (Dara 38), Thierry, Sokumpheak, Suhana (Sokheng 83), Makara, Boran (Tola 66), Borey. Subs not used: Yaty, Soksela, Da, Pisa, Sothy, Phearun, Morslim. Bookings: None: MOTM: Borey - scored 6. Goals: Borey 6 (10, 45, 59, 70, 86, 90+1), Makara 2 (54, 57), Thierry (28), Sokumpheak (64), Own Goal (73), Suhana (74), Tola (90).

Cup activity

Kompong Chhnang found the going tough against Police, losing 9-0

The first games in Pool C of the Hun Sen Cup were completed yesterday. Phnom Penh Crown drew 1-1 with TriAsia (Kandal), in a game where they will be kicking themselves that they didn't score a 2nd goal to win the match comfortably. They dominated possession but lacked the cutting edge in front of goal. Both teams fielded depleted sides, as did National Police for their match against qualifiers Kompong Chhnang. The lights were so bad at Olympic Stadium that I couldn't identify all the goalscorers as Police ran out 9-0 winners, though I'm pretty sure Noun Borey netted a hat-trick at least. The next Pool C matches are on Wednesday 12 February, when Crown meet Kompong Chhnang and TriAsia (Kandal) face National Police, both matches to be played at the Army Stadium.

National Police made short work of their province visitors, winning 9-0

TriAsia pose, with coaches, before the game against PPCFC

Crown dominate but held

PPCFC v TriAsia line-up: Boris, Pheng, Thierry, Da, Ary, Borey. Front: Suhana, Boran, Sothy, Sokumpheak. Sosela - click to enlarge

Result: Phnom Penh Crown 1 TriAsia PP (Kandal) 1 (Hun Sen Cup).
The eagerly-awaited Hun Sen Cup last 16 Pool C clash between Phnom Penh Crown and TriAsia PP - representing Kandal province - duly arrived this afternoon at Olympic Stadium, and despite a lot of huffing and puffing, the teams finished all square at 1-1. Both teams made changes from the weekend, with only Khmer players allowed to take part, with Yok Ary replacing Sou Yaty in goal for Crown and Neou Sosela getting the thumbs up from the Federation to play at last. Former Crown players Leng Narin and Bun Keo were in the TriAsia line-up. The first action of note came on twelve minutes as TriAsia's Seng Kosen sent a 22-yard effort towards goal which Ary parried down and away. On 22 minutes it was TriAsia that drew first blood as two errors by Crown defenders were punished, with Kouch Sokumpheak slipping to allow Sok Chanrasmey time to lash his shot past Ary from just inside the penalty area. Five minutes later, Sos Suhana turned neatly and unleashed a low drive that flashed inches past the upright. A rash-looking challenge by Neou Sosela on Leng Narin with ten minutes of the first-half to go, left Crown with an uphill task as referee Khuon Virak produced a straight red card, though on video replay its not clear if Sosela even connected with the TriAsia defender. Coach Sam Schweingruber immediately switched Sokumpheak from defense into attack and after Hem Simay punched away a Khim Borey free-kick, the TriAsia goalkeeper was caught napping, when he dived on the ball as Sokumpheak challenged. As he picked it up, referee Virak gave an indirect free-kick to Crown, seventeen yards out, which Sokumpheak touched to Borey and he curled the ball around the wall and into the bottom corner for the equaliser. That was four minutes before half-time. Two minutes later an inswinging Bin Thierry corner found the head of Sokumpheak, but he was stretching and his header went wide of the far post.

Schweingruber threw on Leng Makara at half-time, pushing Sokumpheak back into midfield. Suhana broke into the box early on but his shot was blocked, and a Borey free-kick from wide left was headed away by Kao Viso. At the other end, Yok Ary punched a Nuth Sinoun free-kick from under the cross-bar. Crown's best chance to go ahead fell to Suhana on 56 minutes, as Thourng Da's overlap and cross found its way through a host of legs but his shot was blocked at point-blank range by Simay, who then reacted smartly to thwart Makara after Crown broke quickly through Sokumpheak. On 70 minutes, Sokumpheak's pass found Long Boran steaming into the box and his flashing drive was finger-tipped over the bar by Simay, as the keeper once again came to his side's rescue. Both Suhana and Makara headed harmlessly wide of the target while Ary was quick off his line to deny Chanrasmey's spurt into the area. Sokumpheak took a tumble as he weaved his way into the box but referee Virak looked the other way, and two minutes after his arrival on the pitch, Um Tola connected with a Da cross but his diving header flashed wide of the near post by a matter of inches. TriAsia were restricted to the odd counter-attack and Chanrasmey nearly made one of them count as he slipped past Hong Pheng and Ary only for Pheng to recover and head his shot out for a corner. Five minutes of injury time failed to produce a winner and both teams had to settle for a point apiece in this Pool C encounter.
PPCFC v TriAsia (Kandal): Ary, Sokumpheak, Da, Pheng Boris (Sarak 92), Sothy (Makara 46), Thierry, Sosela, Boran, Suhana (Tola 81), Borey. Subs not used: Yaty, Soksela, Phearun, Dara, Sokheng, Muslim, Srin, Pisa. Booking: Sokumpheak, Sarak; Sosela (red card). MOTM: Borey - smartly-taken goal. Goal: Borey (41).

Crown head coach Sam Schweingruber gave his thoughts after the match with TriAsia (Kandal): "Our game was not what we wanted to play, we had a lot of players not 100% switched on and it may've had to do with a few changes I made to the team...trying a few new things, which clearly didn't work, so I have to take part of the blame for that. Two or three of our players should've done better for their goal but he finished with good composure. Then comes the red card - and it throws out our whole plan. Definitely the turning point in the game, still we managed to be very strong. I thought we were miles better than them in the 2nd half. Easily the strongest team. They were slow, we reacted quicker, we were well organised and we have players, who when they switch it on, are really good players. I think we should've had a penalty on at least one occasion, and we were a bit unlucky on a couple more occasions. Suhana should've done better with his effort and if we'd scored, we would've won comfortably. We didn't, and I'm disappointed with a few things, but that's football."

Crown's Cup Games

The 2014 Hun Sen Cup is fast approaching the final group stages where the top eight Metfone C-League teams from last season, enter the fray. For Phnom Penh Crown, they will meet new boys TriAsia, who are representing Kandal, and who have just won the qualifying Eastern regional group, in their first match on Wednesday 29 January. They then meet the Western qualifying group winners, Kompong Chhnag in their second game a couple of weeks later, and then a juicy encounter against National Police, who are also drawn into the same grouping, Pool C.

PPCFC matches will take place as follows:
Wed 29 Jan v Kandal (TriAsia) @ Olympic Stadium - KO 4pm.
Wed 12 Feb v Kompong Chhnang @ Olympic Stadium – KO 6pm.
Wed 26 Feb v National Police @ Olympic Stadium – KO 6pm.
The games on 12 and 26 Feb will be televised live.

In the qualifying games, Eastern Group winners Kandal (TriAsia) beat Prey Veng 13-0 and Svay Rieng Military Police 5-0. Included in their team are former Crown players Thul Sothearith, Vi Lika, Leng Narin, Suong Virak and Kouch Dani. Kompong Chhang won the Western group beating Battambang 4-2, Pursat 7-3 and Pailin 1-0.

Cup fever

The Hun Sen Cup draw has been made at FFC HQ. Phnom Penh Crown drew National Police and most likely TriaAsia (representing Kandal province) and Battambang in their group, if results go with expectations. The FFC split the provincial teams into six regional groups/pools and their games will be played between 8-16 January. TriAsia are in the  eastern group, whilst Battambang are in the Western group. The best of the regional teams will then enter the final group stages, alongwith the eight best C-League teams from last season, and split into 4 groups/pools. The matches in this part of the competition will be played 22 January - 15 March. There hasn't been any indication of when and where games will be played, but it is likely to be midweek. The Hun Sen Cup competition is only for Cambodian-born players, foreigners are not eligible to play. Last season NagaCorp won the cup with Crown finishing in 3rd place. In group A of the final stages, Boeung Ket will meet the cup holders, with Svay Rieng drawn alongside Kirivong in group B and BBU with Army in group D.

Rumours have been circulating that the Olympic Stadium pitch is going to be dug up and replaced with artificial grass as part of a massive redevelopment of the country's football headquarters. No confirmation as yet on dates, but the timetable of such a dramatic turn of events could obviously impact on both the Hun Sen Cup and the Metfone C-League. Another suggestion was that the national football center at Tonle Bati would be the venue for re-arranged C-League games but of course, that would be an unmitigated disaster with the venue being some 40kms outside of the city. The Army Stadium would be a better fit, despite its appalling playing surface, though that could be easily fixed with a bit of effort and forward planning. But when did that ever happen.

Postscript: The final group stage matches will be played every Wednesday from 22 January, with two matches at Olympic and two games at the Army Stadium. Crown's matches will take place as follows:
Wed 29 Jan v Eastern Qualifier to be determined at 2pm @ Olympic Stadium
Wed 12 Feb v Western Qualifier to be determined at 4pm @ Olympic Stadium
Wed 26 Feb v National Police at 2pm @ Olympic Stadium.
The Hun Sen Cup quarter-finals will be on 5 March, the semi-finals on 9 March and the Final will be at Olympic Stadium on 15 March, KO 4pm.