Crunch opening

The big kick-off is just hours away for Phnom Penh Crown as they seek to begin the task of retaining their Metfone C-League championship for the third consecutive season. Standing between them and an opening day win are their arch rivals Preah Khan Reach, who have begun the season in high spirits, as they did last season, with success in the Hun Sen Cup competition, including a 4-0 win over Crown. A 2-1 success against Naga after extra time clinched the cup with Khuon Laboravy, their ever-present dangerman, netting 22 goals in the competition. Involvement, and defeat, in the Malaysian FA Cup followed and PKR will be determined to make a better fist of their C-League campaign this time around, finishing eleven points behind Crown in the final league table last term. Last season's matches between the two teams resulted in a 2-2 draw on the opening day of the campaign and a 1-0 win for Crown in the penultimate match.

For tomorrow's game, Crown head coach David Booth has selected a 22-man squad with no injury worries. The 'will he play, wont he play' dilemma of Khim Borey looks set to be resolved with his first appearance in a C-League match for Crown, more than a year after signing for the club. Crown have filled their quota of five foreign players, though only three are available for each C-League match with Melvin Tarley and Kingsley Njoku set to miss-out. Tarley is still getting his fitness up to speed following his arrival from the United States, whilst Njoku and fellow returnee Chan Chaya are still on the sidelines serving AFC bans of eight games and six months respectively. PKR approach the game with a few injury headaches and will be holding open trials for new foreign talent in the first week of April, after a couple of seasons without utilizing that option and concentrating solely on Cambodian players. Their policy has worked well in the locals-only Hun Sen Cup but has not succeeded in the league competition, hence their strategy re-think. The matches come thick and fast for Crown after tomorrow, with a match against newboys Western University on Sunday and then a crunch game against Naga the following Wednesday.
Crown squad for the PKR match: Ary, Oudom, Dara, Vanthan, Seyha, Rady, Da, Tiny, Sovan, Lika, Rathanak, Sophanal, Sothy, Sovanna, Suhana, Sokumpheak, Borey, H Pheng, S Pheng, Obadin, Frimpong, Asonibe.

More lives than a cat

Lee Tae-Hoon will keep his job and take Cambodia to the Suzuki Cup

The next big competition for the Cambodian national team is the qualification stages for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2012. This will be held in Myanmar between 5-13 October. More on that later. The astounding news that has crept out this weekend is that Lee Tae-Hoon will remain in charge of the national team and will lead them into the Suzuki Cup. This is after what has been the most dismal set of results in Cambodian football history during the last 19 months of his reign. I was joking when I said he's had more lives than your average cat. But it's true. How the heck can this man keep his job, as the head coach of a national football team, when in any other country, indeed, any other walk of life, he has failed to produce time and again, in every competition, even when playing what are the minnows of world football. Just back from an embarrassing four-game debacle in Brunei in the U-21 (+ overage players) tournament, the FFC have been as quiet as a mouse, as they always are, hoping that public opinion and calls for the coach's head will die down after a day or two. When asked, the FFC general secretary has said that Lee Tae-Hoon will continue to lead Cambodia, but won't be involved in the new U-22 competition in June, so he has more time to concentrate on the Suzuki Cup. So, essentially they relieve him of the U-22 duties, which have been handed to Prak Somony, but give him their backing to continue the appalling job he's been doing for the past 19 months with the senior team. Absolutely mind-numbing. I don't believe that any other country would put up with this situation. If there had been some evidence of improvement in players, tactics, formations, anything really, then they might have a case. But there has been zero sign of improvement, in fact we are falling behind every other country in the region and are being left behind by the countries that were previously the whipping boys. That moniker now belongs to Cambodia under Lee Tae-Hoon. Cambodian football fans have lost all hope and confidence in this coach. The only backing he has is in the corridors of the FFC, who pointedly refuse and refute the wishes of the footballing public. That is the current state of international football in Cambodia.

Back to the AFF Suzuki Cup. The draw will be made on 11 July involving the five teams who will meet in Myanmar in October, with the top two teams qualifying to join the six seeded Asean teams. The five potential qualifiers are Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Timor Leste and hosts, Myanmar. Two from that line-up will join Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam to make up the eight-team finals to be held jointly in Malaysia and Thailand. This is the highlight of the international calendar for Cambodia this year and it appears that Lee Tae-Hoon is the man tasked with pulling rabbits out of a hat to ensure our qualification for the final round which will be held in December. With his record, that is never going to happen.

Chan Chaya

A crowd favourite, Chan Chaya has rejoined the club for the coming season after being released in November. Chaya has been with Crown since 2007 and was part of our successful C-League championship team last term. A six-month AFC ban will see him miss the first few games of the C-League season.

Name: Chan Chaya
Position: Forward
Squad Number: 9
Date of birth: 24 Feb 1987
Place of birth: Kampot
Height: 1.72m
Weight: 70kg
Joined PPCFC: November 2007
Previous clubs: Khemara Keila, Cambodia U-23 & Seniors.

Kingsley Njoku

Nigerian-born Kingsley Njoku has rejoined the club for his second season at Crown, after three years in Singapore with Gombak United. Kingsley netted 15 goals last season in all competitions, but will miss the first half of the season whilst serving an AFC suspension.

Name: Kingsley Njoku
Position: Forward
Squad Number: 20
Date of birth: 18 Aug 1986
Place of birth: Lagos, Nigeria
Height: 1.75m
Weight: 75kg
Joined PPCFC: November 2010
Previous clubs: Niger Tornadoes, Nigeria Port Authority, Gombak United.

Melvin Tarley

Born in Liberia but forced to flee his country because of civil war, Melvin Tarley arrived in the United States at the age of 17 and began a footballing career that has seen him play in the top flight of American football, the Major Soccer League. He's also been capped twice for his country in World Cup matches.

Name: Melvin Tarley
Position: Forward
Squad Number: 36
Date of birth: 31 Oct 1982
Place of birth: Monrovia, Liberia
Height: 1.80m
Weight: 80kg
Joined PPCFC: March 2012

Previous clubs: Chaspel, Alliance, Minnesota Thunder, Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids, Puerto Rico Islanders, Miami, NSC Minnesota Stars, Liberia U-21 & Seniors.

Pheak Rady

Crown have secured the services of current Cambodian national team full-back Pheak Rady, who won the Hun Sen Cup with his former team, National Defense Ministry, having spent three years with the Army team.

Name: Pheak Rady
Position: Defender
Squad Number: 13
Date of birth: 22 Jan 1989
Place of birth: Mlou Meun, Ponhea Leu, Kandal
Height: 1.75m
Weight: 69kg
Joined PPCFC: February 2012
Previous clubs: Kandal province, Kompong Speu province, Phnom Penh Empire, Khemara Keila, National Defense Ministry, Cambodia U-23 & Seniors.

Henry Asonibe

Another of Crown's newest signings is no stranger to the C-League, having played for Spark FC and Wat Phnom in 2009 and 2010. Henry Asonibe is a Nigerian-born combative midfielder who will provide steel and guile to Crown's engine room.

Name: Henry Asonibe
Position: Midfield
Squad Number: 28
Date of birth: 5 Jun 1991
Place of birth: Oguta, Nigeria
Height: 1.70m
Weight: 68kg
Joined PPCFC: February 2012
Previous clubs: Orashi United, Spark, Wat Phnom.

Emmanuel Frimpong

Emmanuel Frimpong rejoins coach David Booth and teammate Khim Borey at Phnom Penh Crown, after the three were part of the Sisaket club in the Thailand Premier League last season. Frimpong is a Ghanaian-born midfielder who will be a major part of Crown's defence of the Metfone C-League title which begins this coming Wednesday against Preah Khan Reach.

Name: Emmanuel Frimpong
Position: Midfield
Squad Number: 18
Date of birth: 10 Dec 1989
Place of birth: Accra, Ghana
Height: 1.77m
Weight: 70kg
Joined PPCFC: February 2012
Previous clubs: Gawara Babies, Goldfields Academy, Liberty Professionals, Sisaket.

Crown's New Faces

Phnom Penh Crown have just issued the following Press Release to all media.
On 31 January 2012, prior to the Hun Sen Cup competition, Phnom Penh Crown announced securing the services of no less than thirteen new players. Crown are now pleased to announce the addition of six new players to our playing squad for the forthcoming Metfone Cambodian League, which the club have won for the last two consecutive seasons, in 2010 and 2011.

Crown welcome new midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong (22), who played under head coach David Booth at Sisaket in the Thai Premier League last season. Frimpong was born in Accra, Ghana and progressed via Gawara Babies and Goldfields Academy before spending five years with Ghanaian Premier League club Liberty Professionals, prior to joining Sisaket. Joining Frimpong in midfield is Henry Asonibe (20), who is no stranger to the C-League having played for Spark and Wat Phnom in 2009 and 2010. Asonibe hails from Oguto in Nigeria and spent two years with Orashi United in his home country before coming to Cambodia.

Adding to Crown’s goalscoring options is striker Melvin Tarley (29), who has two international caps for his nation, Liberia and who has spent more than a decade in United States football. Born in Monrovia, the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia, he escaped the civil war in his country and moved from a refugee camp to live in Minnesota at the age of 17. He played for Alliance and a brief stint in Hungary with Chaspel before joining Major League Soccer with Minnesota Thunder, Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids. He enjoyed spells at Puerto Rico Islanders and Miami and more time at Minnesota Thunder before they changed their name to NSC Minnesota Stars, his final club before joining Crown.

A new face in defence is Cambodian national team full-back Pheak Rady (23), who has spent the last three years with the National Defense Ministry team. Born in Ponhea Leu in Kandal, he represented both Kandal and Kompong Speu province before a season with Phnom Penh Empire and a few games for Khemara Keila.

Two players who were an important part of Crown’s successful C-League championship team last season, Chan Chaya (25) and Kingsley Njoku (25) have also re-joined the club. Both players are currently serving suspensions as a result of the AFC President’s Cup Final defeat in Taiwan and are not yet eligible to play in the C-League. Njoku scored 15 goals last season, with Chaya netting 9 goals. Crown have accepted the players’ remorse for their actions in the AFC President’s Cup Final and we welcome them back into the club’s playing squad for the new season.

PPCFC’s foreign players in 2012: Odion Obadin (Nigeria) – defender : Henry Asonibe (Nigeria) – midfield : Emmanuel Frimpong (Ghana) – midfield : Melvin Tarley (Liberia/USA) – forward : Kingsley Njoku (Nigeria) - forward.

Through to final

2nd half Academy team. Back LtoR: Sakrovy, Senteang, Baraing, Titchhy. Front: Samnang, Sodavid, T Chhaya, Noeut, Chanchav

The final awaits the Phnom Penh Crown Academy boys after their 5-1 semi-final success over the ISF Flying Tigers this morning. The Academy have already posted a ten-game 100% success record in the league competition known as the Barclays Capital ISF U-14 Champions League. Like the adult Metfone C-League, the top 4 boys teams now join a play-off to decide the champions and so today it was 1st versus 4th. The final will be next Sunday and Preah Khan look the likely opponents. Fair play to ISF, they gave a good account of themselves and despite wave upon wave of attacks, the Academy led by just one goal at the interval. ISF even had the affront to score an equalizer against Crown. The first goal they've conceded in eleven matches. Letting in that goal kicked them up the backside and Crown went onto overpower ISF to win the semi comfortably. It took 17 minutes for Crown to break the ISF rearguard in the 1st half. Pov Ponvuthy danced into the box and was tripped from behind. He stepped up to confidently sidefoot the penalty kick into the top corner. Two Orn Chanpolin headers went wide by inches and other chances went begging before the break. Ten minutes into the 2nd half and ISF were gifted a penalty, which they screwed wide. A minute later, the referee awarded them a free-kick and the ball soared into the top corner to stun the Academy youngsters, who aren't used to conceding goals. They responded quickly and the re-introduction of Yeu Muslim was the catalyst. Nippy in and around the box, he got on the end of a well-made move and finished with a goalpoacher's instinct. Two minutes later and Mat Sakrovy finished a great 5-man move with his usual coolness in front of goal. Moments later and In Sodavid's direct free-kick sailed into the net and they rounded off a 5-1 win with an own goal from a hapless ISF defender. All too easy in the end but ISF made them battle before they gave up. Crown will meet Preah Khan in the final I reckon, but I left before the end of their semi-final, so I can't confirm. The B-team, also in the semis of the U-14 Premier League play-off against Komar Takhmau, ran out 6-3 winners with Kim Chhaya netting a hat-trick.

1st half Academy team. Back LtoR: Piphob, Senteang, Chanpolin, Sovann. Front: Ponvuthy, Chansopheak, Muslim, Rozak, Phearath

Pov Ponvuthy opens the scoring from the penalty spot

Ken Chansopheak crosses from the right wing

Head coach Bouy Dary issues final instructions to his team

LtoR: Men Piphop, Pov Ponvuthy, Vat Samnang

Yeu Muslim (near) composes himself, next to Long Phearath (right)

Sath Rozak reacts when he's told one of the players from the girls team wants his number

The PPCFC B-team squad before their semi-final, which they won 6-3 - it includes 5 Academy players

New faces imminent

Crown coach David Booth instructs his players at today's training session

Phnom Penh Crown will formally announce their playing squad for the new Metfone C-League season very soon. We held a press conference at the end of January where we informed the media that we had secured the services of 13 new players. Since then we've signed another six players and we now have our quota of five foreign players for the upcoming season, that begins for us on Wednesday against Preah Khan. Names should be announced tomorrow. The players are training every day in the run up to Wednesday's opening game though four players are absent from the weekend sessions, as they'd been called for trials for the Cambodian U-22 squad. A new age-group competition, the AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualifiers, is due to be played from 23 Jun-3 July which just so happens to be smack bang in the middle of the C-League season. Utterly bonkers. The FFC have appointed Prak Somony as the coach of the team, seemingly ignoring the national coach Lee Tae-Hoon for the job - are they trying to tell him something? - and have called up players for squad trials already. Sok Pheng, Hong Pheng, Sok Sovan and Sos Suhana have been taken away from Crown's C-League preparation to take part, which is a pain in the butt for Crown coach David Booth. It's a repeat of the farce we endured when players were taken away from their teams for the disastrous Brunei U-21 tournament a couple of months ago. Crown refused to play ball then and if the FFC expect Crown to release players on demand for squad training and to miss two C-League games in June, they will need to think again.

Taking place at the same time as the Crown first-team were training at the RSN Stadium, the PriceWaterhouseCoopers ISF boys tournament was in full flow. With teams from Cambodia and Singapore, it was the Komar Rikreay team that won the final on penalties. They will be back again next Saturday, for the girls competition. Tomorrow morning (Sunday), the Crown Academy are in the Barclays Capital ISF U-14 Champions League semi-final against ISF Flying Tigers with a 9am kick-off. The Academy topped the league after ten matches with maximum points, 120 goals scored and zero conceded. If they win their semi-final, then the competition final will be next Sunday. On that day, the ISF will also hold a tournament for teams of deaf players, part of the great work that ISF undertake to encourage participation from youngsters across the spectrum.

Vi Lika and Soeng Vanthan take on board the coach's words

LtoR: Melvin Tarley, Emmanuel Frimpong, Kingsley Njoku, Vi Lika

Perking-up Crown's three goalkeepers, Sam Chamroeun, Yok Ary and Am Oudom

A warm-down for the players and a few stretches

The Komar Rikreay boys receive their winning trophy today

Dary plots the future

Bouy Dary, pictured earlier today at the U-14 trials at the RSN Stadium

The man charged with overseeing the future of Cambodia's talented youngsters in the U-14 age group is Bouy Dary, the current head coach of the Phnom Penh Crown Elite Academy. He's the obvious choice for anyone who understands the work he's put into creating and running the successful Crown Academy, the only one of its kind in Cambodia, and the federation have agreed, appointing Dary as the head coach of the Cambodian U-14 national squad that will go to Malaysia for an AFC Festival of Football from 21 May until 3 June. The Malaysian festival is the fifth of the regional AFC getogethers, covering the Asean region with 12 nations taking part. At the U-14 level, the AFC puts the emphasis on learning and development rather than competition and results. Dary and his two assistants, Long Rithea (from the Army) and Ouk Mic (PKR), who until this season was the country's first-choice senior goalkeeper, are currently testing out the best of the age-group youngsters from his own Academy, Preah Khan Reach and other teams at that level. They will select a 30-strong squad that will be whittled down to 22 boys that will make the trip to Malaysia. Dary has been responsible for the Crown Academy for the past year, having previously worked as an assistant coach for the senior Phnom Penh Crown team and for the Cambodian national team under ex-head coaches Scott O'Donell and Prak Sovannara. He also played for the Cambodian U-23 and senior teams as a midfield player with the Royal Navy before hanging up his playing boots at a comparatively young age to concentrate on coaching. Without doubt the future of the U-14 national team is in very safe hands.

Bouy Dary with his PPCFC Academy youngsters

Final practice match

This morning's starting line-up. Back LtoR: Frimpong, Obadin, Ary, Rady, Vanthan, Sovan. Front: Sokumpheak, Asonibe, Suhana, Sovanna, Borey

In their final eve of season practice match, Phnom Penh Crown beat Western University 2-0 at the RSN Stadium early this morning. Western, who held the Army to a goal-less draw at the weekend, were under the cosh for much of the first half. A couple of minutes into the game and Crown's Khim Borey spooned a chance over the bar from close range and then sent a half-volley fizzing inches wide from 20 yards out. He then set up his former Army teammate Pheak Rady for a low drive which the keeper deflected for a corner. On 20 minutes, Sos Suhana was tripped as he raced into the penalty area but Borey's spot-kick was too high and Western breathed again. That is until the 32nd minute when Borey fed Kouch Sokumpheak inside the box. His quick feet deceived three defenders and a penalty looked certain only for Sokumpheak to get up off the floor, skirt around two more tackles and send a low drive into the far corner. A goal carved out of the man's sheer determination, one of his hallmark traits. Borey fired into the side netting, it just wasn't his day in front of goal, but when Emmanuel Frimpong evaded two tackles to get in a cross from the bye-line, Borey's touch to Suhana was perfect and he whacked home his shot from eight yards for his 11th goal in the pre-season friendlies. Crown coach David Booth made changes throughout the second half, which didn't flow as well as the first session. Melvin Tarley cut inside two defenders only to see his shot blocked by the keeper's feet and other opportunities for Sok Pheng and Chan Chaya went begging. A smack in the face saw Vi Lika suffer a bloody mouth just minutes after joining the fray. Crown now have a final few days of training to get in top shape for their opening C-League game against Preah Khan Reach next Wednesday (21 Mar) at the Olympic Stadium (2pm). They are still waiting to hear from the Federation as to whether Khim Borey and Pheak Rady will be able to play, and are also hopeful that the ITCs for two of their new foreign signings, Emmanuel Frimpong (22), who was with David Booth and Khim Borey at Sisaket last season, and Melvin Tarley (29), will come through in time. Tarley has just jetted in from the United States where he has played in the Major Soccer League and the United Soccer League for a collection of teams, appearing mainly for Minnesota Thunder as well as Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids and Puerto Rico Islanders. He's also a twice-capped Liberian international.
Crown line-up: Ary (Chamroeun 46 ((Oudom 65)), Rady (Dara 46), Vanthan, Sovan (Lika 79 (Srin 84)), Obadin (Tiny 46), Sovanna, Asonibe (Sothy 63), Frimpong, Suhana (Chaya 59), Borey (Tarley 46), Sokumpheak (S Pheng 75).

Khim Borey left his scoring boots at home this morning

Pheak Rady on another of his trademark overlaps

Henry Asonibe fires in a shot in the 1st half

Coach David Booth giving his half-time team-talk

Melvin Tarley challenges for possession

Chan Chaya is free in the penalty area, again

Crown's latest addition, striker Melvin Tarley

Goal fest

Crown starting line-up. Back LtoR: Asonibe, Frimpong, Ary, Dara, Tiny, Obadin. Front: Rady, Borey, Suhana, Vanthan, Sokumpheak

More than sixty players were on the pitch in this afternoon's practice match at the RSN Stadium where Phnom Penh Crown took on Boeung Ket, in a return friendly after Crown won 2-1 in Kompong Cham recently. This time around, Boeung Ket came out on top 6-4, after three periods of forty minutes each allowed both teams to give players a good run-out, and to try different formations. Under a scorching hot sun, Crown had led 4-1, twenty minutes into the second period but allowed Boeung Ket to sneak back to 4-4 in the dying minutes of the half. In the third and final period, Julius Oiboh, the ex-Naga striker who is in the middle of a 'will he, won't he' move to Thailand or Myanmar, or stay in Cambodia, showed his finishing ability to snatch the deciding final two goals. Crown began the game with a strong line-up and opened the scoring on 16 minutes as Khim Borey raced onto a touch forward by Sos Suhana and slipped his shot under the advancing Peng Bunchhay, one of a plethora of former Crown players in the opposition ranks. Two minutes later and Boeung Ket were level. Borey's effort a few minutes later was cleared off the goal-line as Bunchhay clattered into the Crown striker. Emmanuel Frimpong's shot was deflected for a corner and in the ensuing melee, Henry Asonibe's pass found Odion Obadin and his cut-back was sidefooted home by Kouch Sokumpheak on 33 minutes. A minute later, Borey should've extended the lead but sent his shot on the run inches wide.

With changes aplenty on both sides, Crown began the second period in the ascendency and on 52 minutes, Sokumpheak rose high to head Frimpong's free-kick into the top corner of the net. Eight minutes later, Sok Pheng and Chan Chaya carved open the Boeung Ket defence and a perfectly weighted pass to Sokumpheak, saw him round the keeper and roll his shot into a gaping net for his hat-trick and 4-1. On 66 minutes a cross sailed inside the far post to give Boeung Ket a lifeline and two more close-range efforts in five minutes saw them edge level again at the end of the second period. In the final forty-minute half, a young Crown team failed to deal with the danger that we know Julius Oiboh can create and he toyed with the defenders before finding the net twice to give Boeung Ket a 6-4 victory. A glaring miss from Leng Makara at the very end made no difference. For Crown, head coach David Booth gave playing time to Pheak Rady, Chan Chaya, Kingsley Njoku and a new face in striker Melvin Tarley, who has just touched down from the United States. They have another practice match lined-up for Thursday against Western University at a venue yet to be confirmed.
Crown line ups: 1st 40mins: Ary, Rady, Vanthan, Tiny, Obadin, Dara, Asonibe, Frimpong, Suhana, Borey, Sokumpheak.
2nd 40 mins: Chamroeun, Dara, Vanthan (Seyha 72), Sovan, Obadin, Sovanna, Asonibe, Frimpong (Sothy 60), Chaya, S Pheng, Sokumpheak (Tarley 66).
3rd 40 mins: Oudom, Da, Seyha, Srin, Lika, Sophanal, Sovanna (Kimhor 89), Rathanak, Makara, S Pheng (Njoku 98), Tarley (H Pheng 88).

Khim Borey breaks clear before sliding his shot under Peng Bunchhay

David Booth leaves Chhun Sovanna in no doubt

Crown's 2nd period line-up. Back LtoR: Chamroeun, Vanthan, Asonibe, Frimpong, Obadin, Dara. Front: Sokumpheak, S Pheng, Sovanna, Chaya, Sovan

Kouch Sokumpheak rises above his marker to head his second goal

Crown's 3rd period line-up. Back LtoR: Marley, Oudom, Da, Srin, Seyha, Lika. Front: Makara, Rathanak, Sophanal, Sovanna, S Pheng

Melvin Tarley in action against Boeung Ket's Touch Pancharong

Amateurs cock-a-hoop

The PKR line-up that were beaten by the amateurs of SPA in the Malaysian FA Cup

The New Straits Times in Malaysia put Preah Khan Reach's defeat in the Malaysian FA Cup on Saturday into perspective. PKR went down 1-0 just after half-time to the third-tier team called Public Service Commission’s (SPA), who advanced to the quarter-finals of the competition for the very 1st time, where they will face Bojan Hodak's league leaders Kelantan over two legs. SPA are an amateur team and were cock-a-hoop after defeating the Cambodians, who fielded eight current internationals, and who fully expected to win. According to the NST: It’s a feat that as far as coach Mohd Nidzam Jamil is concerned almost amounted to being “a miracle”. “We’re all incredibly delighted especially to continue in the competition and at the same time create history,” said Nidzam after the match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. “We want to enjoy this (win) before thinking about Kelantan. What makes this so special is that we hold daily jobs and only train after work. Our priority, however, is to earn Premier League promotion and not the FA Cup but doing well in it is a bonus and added motivation.” Nidzam said the hard work and hours of training is the secret behind the club’s Cup run so far. “PKR are professionals and of course physically and technically they’re much better than us. What made the difference for us was simple motivation. My players showed character and their willingness to fight for 90 minutes paid dividends. Some of my players even suffered cramps in the final minutes of the match but I expected that to happen as we are an amateur side,” said Nidzam. PKR will return home to lick their wounds and get themselves prepared for their opening Metfone C-League encounter against Phnom Penh Crown on Wednesday 21 March.

After the Lord Mayor's show

BBU, sporting their new Kappa kit, ran out 2-nil winners over Chhlam Samuth

Like chalk and cheese. Yesterday we were treated to a bit of everything in the opening two matches of the Metfone C-League season. Today, it was precisely the opposite as both games were turgid affairs that failed to find even a murmur of excitement from the subdued spectators who'd hoped for a continuation of yesterday's intoxicating fare. BBU and Chhlam Samuth began under the 2pm sun and the students always had enough in the bank despite going down to 10-men with twenty-odd minutes to go. They ran down the clock to win 2-0. Western University were making their debut against the Army in the 2nd match-up and ended the day the happier, with a point from a goal-less bore draw. They also lost a player to a red card with twenty minutes remaining.

BBU chose not to start their influential playmaker Chhun Sothearath after his recent return from Brunei with the national team, whilst Chhlam Samuth paraded two new Nigerian signings for this encounter. It was BBU who began the brightest, which is a relative term, as the football wasn't exactly riveting. However, they scored two goals in a four minute spell midway through the first-half that sealed the result in their favour. On 35 minutes, Ouk Sereyratanak bore down on goal and clipped a neat finish inside the far post for the opener. His teammate Pech Sina drifted past two defenders on the edge of the box and unleashed a twenty-yard curler that nestled in the top corner for the highlight of the whole match. Despite losing Phin Pheara to a 2nd yellow card on 68 minutes, BBU were never seriously tested and Chhlam Samuth look to have another long season ahead of them.

Chhlam Samuth performed poorly for their 1st C-League outing of the season

Underdogs Western University will be delirious after holding the Army to a draw

For the 2nd match of the day, Western University marked their C-League debut by fielding three Nigerian imports, who'd played for different clubs last season, whilst the Army (aka National Defense Ministry), who are rapidly making enemies with their involvement in stopping their former players from turning out for other club, were looking to start their season with a statement of intent against the newcomers. As it turned out, though the Army team looked the better equipped, they failed to take a couple of guilt-edged chances and will be kicking themselves for not beating the plucky college team. Western will be extra happy after losing two of their African players in the space of a minute, one through injury, the other for two yellow card tackles that saw Etim Esin take an early bath; an identical situation when the same player made his debut for Rithysen last season. It was the 5th red card of the weekend's matches. So with 20 minutes to go, Western had to hold out for their precious point, which they did. However, apart from the Western fans, the game won't live long in the memory.
Phnom Penh Crown and Preah Khan Reach were the only two teams not to perform in the opening round of matches, as PKR were competing in the 2nd round of the Malaysian FA Cup. They went down 1-0 to Kuala Lumpur's Spa FC and will take no further part in the competition.

The Army, with Arsenal as their role models, looked toothless against Western

The new electronic scoreboard at the Olympic Stadium. It shows the game live for the 1st match on Saturday & Sunday. It's a pity they cannot spell the word Cambodian.

Rubbermen success

Boeung Ket began life in the C-League with a 3-1 success

Definitely a bad day at the office for Kirivong Sok Sen Chey in their opening fixture of the new Metfone C-League season this afternoon, though Boeung Ket will be celebrating after starting their first-ever season in the top flight with a 3-1 victory. Both teams were parading a host of new faces, though it was Kirivong that caught everyone by surprise by including a trio of Egyptian players, as well as a couple of Vietnamese players, playing under their Khmer names. For the Egypt trio it was a game to quickly forget, but for Boeung Ket, with their squad packed with experienced players at this level, it was a good start. Before the game, the Rubbermen had been rocked when the federation announced at the eleventh hour that their three new signings from the Army were ineligible. Another ill-timed and crass decision from the FFC that has become their trademark in recent months. Undaunted, Boeung Ket set about their task with gusto from the kick-off and took the lead on five minutes in stunning fashion. Sumaila Momoh, rejected by Naga, picked up the ball 25 yards out and unleashed an unstoppable drive that sailed into the top corner. Kirivong's newly-arrived giant-framed stopper, Mohamed Magdy Abdalla, didn't even see it. In the 36th minute, referee Chi Samedy, in his first outing in the C-League, sparked a reaction from Kirivong that should bring them censure from the FFC. Samedy felt that Kirivong's Egyptian striker Mohamed Zaky, more recently in Thailand with Khonkaen and in Burma with Yangon, left his foot in on Lar Pichseyla and flashed a red card. Kirivong's coaching staff then waved their whole team off the field for five minutes in yet another petulant display that is becoming all too common in Cambodian football and needs to be addressed by the federation before it gets out of hand. They eventually returned to the fray but looked ineffectual and to add to their woes, Boeung Ket added a 2nd goal three minutes into time added on for their walk-off. Out of his box, and his comfort zone, goalkeeper Mohamed Magdy Abdalla got into a tizz with the ball at his feet and only managed to pass it straight to Keo Sokngorn, who duly lobbed it over his head and into the empty net.

With a two-goal half-time cushion, Boeung Ket took their foot of the gas and allowed Kirivong too much time and space, which they took advantage of on 68 minutes. Pech Seiha, a new Khmer name on the Kirivong teamsheet but quite obviously a Vietnamese import, had his ankle tapped as he crashed into the box by Daniel Omachoko, got up and scored from the resultant penalty kick. However, any hope of a comeback disappeared seven minutes later when Friday Nwakuna netted a fine individual effort for the Rubbermen, brushing off two defenders and toe-poking his shot into the roof of the net. Nwakuna had partnered Sokngorn up front for most of the game and looked effective in the role. It was all over for Kirivong but a minute into injury time Touch Sokheang made it worse when his disgraceful two-footed high tackle on Phoeun Saorum rightly earned him an instant dismissal. Two minutes later, referee Samedy brandished another red card, this time for Boeung Ket's Yob Romaton for an innocuous tackle on Ouk Thon. It hardly merited a yellow. The Kompong Cham-based team will be cock-a-hoop with their victory and will hope the FFC can get their house in order quickly to allow the three ex-Army players to play instead of twiddling their thumbs. In addition, the word on the street is that Naga's hitman from last season, Julius Oiboh, could be on the verge of joining them if they can find the funds to meet his wage demands. Now that would be a coup which could catapult the Rubbermen into championship contenders.

Kirivong sprang a surprise with their new recruits but were soundly beaten

The prodigal son returns, as Keo Sokngorn leads out Boeung Ket having spent the past year in Thailand