Phnom Penh Crown yesterday played an afternoon practice match against one of the better local teams, Flying Bikes FC, at their Tuol Kork training ground, which has probably the best playing surface in the country. Crown won 3-0 with Kingsley Njoku netting just after the half-hour and then scoring a 2nd on 69 minutes. 2nd half substitute Hok Sochivorn also scored on 79 minutes to complete the result. Sochivorn and the two trialists from Stung Treng, Kim Sophanal and Pheng Dara, played for a 2nd time after last week's substitute appearances against Prek Pra. Crown coach Bojan Hodak said that the opposition were one of the best teams they'd played recently, keeping hold of the ball well but not causing the Crown defence any real problems. He was pleased with the performance of his two Nigerian imports from Singapore, Kingsley Njoku and Odion Obadin, who despite not being eligible to play in the Hun Sen Cup, are getting some friendly matches under their belts in preparation for the start of the domestic Metfone C-League competition in early April.
Crown starting line-up, shorn of their national team players, was: Visokra, C Dara, P Dara, Sothearith, Obadin; Narong, Sophanal, Virak, Rathanak; Chaya, Njoku. 2nd half substitutes were: Bunna, Vanthan, Sovan, Sophat, Virath, Ratana.
Recent import Kingsley Njoku is impressing when he gets the chance. Pic Nick Sells.
