Spotlight on Saturday

Kouch Sokumpheak leads out the Crown team in red shirts

Here are more photos from Phnom Penh Crown's C-League encounter against National Police on Saturday. My thanks to Masayori Ishikawa for the match action photos from his blog http://khmer-sport.blogspot.com/.

Chan Chaya heads this group of Crown players entering the pitch area

The Crown bench just before kick-off

The National Police line-up

Referee Thong Chankethya in tossing mode with the two captains

It's time for the team huddle

Kingsley Njoku has eyes only on goal - by Masayori Ishikawa

Sos Suhana fires this attempt over the crossbar - by Masayori Ishikawa

This tackle on Kouch Sokumpheak won Crown a penalty, which Obadin converted - by Masayori Ishikawa

Academy exhibition

The PPCFC Academy squad pose before the match begins. Click to enlarge.

An overnight stay in the provinces and an exhibition match against a district team in front of hundreds of spectators summed up an enjoyable weekend for the Phnom Penh Crown Academy youngsters. The squad of players left after the first-team match concluded on Saturday afternoon, taking three hours to reach Suong, where the boys stayed in a guesthouse overnight on the outskirts of the city. Early next morning, an hour-long bus ride took them deep into rubber tree plantation territory, passing through the Chup plantations and onto the Cham Muslim stronghold of Roka Po Pram commune of Tbong Khmoum district. A large crowd and noisy loudspeakers greeted their arrival as the local population had turned out in big numbers to welcome the Academy team, with a crowd of around 1,000 thronging the pitch cum kick-off time. The field wasn't in good condition, it was uneven and covered in litter, so the Academy boys spent their time before warming-up, by walking the pitch collecting rubbish. Last week most of the squad were in Malaysia as part of the Cambodian U-14 national team, this week they are setting another example, collecting rubbish watched by hundreds of people.
The match against a representative team drawn from the district, with ages ranging from 13 to 18, included half of the local team playing in bare feet and consisted of three halves of thirty minutes each. The food sellers had set up their stalls, and the watching crowd took up their positions along the touchlines and behind both goals, often encroaching on the pitch. Crown dominated much of the first period, though their neat passing football was a tough ask on a pitch that didn't offer any help for their style. In fact a shocking bounce deceived Seut Baraing and the locals took the lead only for Sath Rozak to smash home a 20-yard drive into the top corner to level the score just as the whistle went. Another unpredictable bounce helped the district team take the lead at the start of the second half and it wasn't until the last kick of the half that Crown equalised a second time. Mat Sakrovy's shot was spilled by the keeper and Theang Chaya followed in to poke the ball over the goal-line. With spectators high in a tree behind one goal they had a great view of the goal. In the third and final half, Crown dominated again but had to wait until the very last minute before going in front for the first time. A kick on Thy Ronaldo gave In Sodavid the chance to win the game from the penalty spot and his nerve held in front of the big crowd. A 3-2 success and an enjoyable though tough game against their provincial opponents. The boys were treated to a home-cooked lunch in the Cham Muslim village of Rokar Po Pram by their hosts before they headed back to Phnom Penh, after another successful weekend in the provinces.

Any vantage point was used by the big crowd

The two teams line-up before the match gets underway

The crowd behind the goal. The referee is wearing a PPCFC blue shirt.

Penalty area action

It was great to see so many villagers out in force to watch the game

Frustration all round

PPCFC v NPolice. Back LtoR: Tiny, Njoku, S Pheng, Obadin, Dara, Ary. Front: Chaya, Sovanna, Rady, Suhana, Sokumpheak. Click to enlarge.

Phnom Penh Crown coach David Booth pretty much said it all in his after-match comments following his team's 1-1 draw with the league leaders National Police yesterday. "I thought we played well, created a lot of chances and I thought we could've won 7-1. I don't think 7-1 would've flattered us. We had so many chances, one on ones, about five of them and I can't see why we can't score. We absolutely murdered them but we've only drawn. And they were not half-chances either, they were good chances. I've got to be happy that we created a lot of chances, we certainly played a lot better than the last game but the result wasn't what we needed. We just played supposedly the best team in Cambodia and we actually slaughtered them without winning, so a lot of frustration at the moment."

Crown, looking to kickstart their season in their first game of the second round, did everything but win the game. They made a mockery out of the National Police's position at the head of the Metfone C-League table and took the game to their opponents from the kick-off. It was all Crown in the early stages with Chan Chaya and Sok Pheng prominent but both had left their shooting boots at home and failed to seriously test Thong Chanreaksmey in the Police goal. In fact it was the Police who could've gone in front on eight minutes. Nuth Sinoun sped through the middle, managed to lob the ball over the advancing Yok Ary but found Odion Obadin blocking the way with his attempt on goal. Thirty seconds later and Chanreaksmey was the man of the moment as he stood firm with Kingsley Njoku bearing down on him. Kouch Sokumpheak had sent Njoku flying clear from the half-way line and he looked odds on to score until the Police keeper kept his nerve to deny him. Yok Ary covered his angles correctly to keep out a Nelson Oladiji effort but it was Crown who were calling the shots without making their superiority pay. On fifteen minutes, Njoku was again guilty of missing a glorious chance after a slip by Sob Ravy let him in, only for the Nigerian striker to drag his shot agonizingly wide of the target. At the other end, Obadin denied Oladiji the chance to shoot with a timely tackle and Noun Borey lobbed a speculative cross-cum-shot onto the roof of top of the crossbar. Sok Pheng was blocked with an attempt on goal and then Chanreaksmey was again in the right place to deny a thunderbolt from Sos Suhana from close range with Suhana firing the rebound into the side-netting. The first-half ended as it had begun, with Crown on the offensive. A Njoku back-heel laid the ball on a plate for Suhana but he lent backwards and smacked his ten-yard effort sailing over the crossbar. In time added on Njoku took a pass from Sokumpheak and shaped to give Crown the lead they deserved, only to drag his powerful shot a foot wide. Crown had drawn a blank.

Police pushed on after the break and Oladiji got the better of Obadin, only to send his shot high and wide, while Ly Arafin raced into the box but screwed his shot wide as Ary came out to challenge. On 53 minutes, a piece of Sokumpheak trickery won Crown a penalty. Muhammed Aberejo was conned into a trip on the edge of the area and Obadin stepped up to plant the spot-kick cleanly and give Crown the lead. Crown continued to dominate and coach David Booth was about to make a double-change, when Police snatched an unlikely equaliser on 75 minutes. Sim Vutha won a tackle with Tieng Tiny and slipped in Tith Dina who managed to get enough leverage on his shot to beat the advancing Yok Ary, and for the ball to cross the line despite Pheak Rady's attempt to clear. Crown made their change and the two new faces, Henry Asonibe and Hong Pheng combined to give Suhana a strike on goal, but he blasted over from just inside the area. With five minutes to go and Crown pressing, Sokumpheak was neatly fed by Njoku but his left-foot swinger sailed over the bar from eight yards out and their best chance went begging. Tiny header over from a corner and Suhana nodded another cross inches over the top as Crown threw everything forward for the winning goal that never came. The game ended 1-1 with Police relieved with a point and Crown frustrated by their own wayward finishing on the day.
Crown line-up v Police: Ary, Dara, Rady, Tiny, Obadin, Sokumpheak, Sovanna, Suhana, Chaya (Asonibe 76), S Pheng (H Pheng 76), Njoku. Subs not used: Chamrouen, Vanthan, Sovan, Lika, Seyha, Sophanal, Kimhor, Sothy, Makara. Bookings: S Pheng, Sokumpheak.

Melvin's exit

Liberian international striker, Melvin Tarley is heading back to the States

Phnom Penh Crown have cancelled the contract of former Liberian international striker Melvin Tarley by mutual consent with the player. Tarley joined the club in March after a decade in top flight football in the United States, a country he moved to after leaving the country of his birth as a refugee. He started just three matches for Crown including the Singapore Cup tie and came on as a substitute in four other games, but didn't feature in the AFC President's Cup tournament. The hoped-for goals didn't materialize for either the player or the team and a joint decision was made to call time on the union. Tarley is heading back to his family in the USA today. That leaves Crown with a vacant spot in their squad for a foreign player if they so wish, as allowed by the federation rules. More pressing is the need for Crown to turn their form around after suffering a 2-1 reversal against the Army on Wednesday, in their meeting with the league leaders National Police tomorrow afternoon. With play-offs being introduced this season to decide the league champions, the race is on for a top-four place at the end of the regular domestic campaign and at the moment, Crown sit five points adrift of the fourth placed team and ten points off the leaders. That is a lot of ground to make up with just nine games of the regular season remaining.

Dull start to 2nd round

With the Phnom Penh Crown v Army match finishing off the outstanding game from the 1st round of this season's Metfone C-League program, the game between Kirivong and BBU opened up the 2nd half of the season this afternoon. However, it didn't exactly set the world alight and an otherwise dull encounter only sparked into life on the hour when Ishola Abiding lobbed a shot onto the crossbar. On 75 minutes he rose unopposed at the far post to head Kirivong in front, though their lead only lasted four minutes as Pech Sina caught a sweet near post volley to level the game at one-apiece. BBU lost defender Rim Bunhieng to a 2nd yellow card plus red with five minutes to go, but a minute into stoppage time, they looked certain to take home the three points. A senseless trip gave Chhun Sothearath the opportunity to win the match from the penalty spot but his understruck shot was kicked away by keeper Kun Thnou and the points were shared. There was still time for Kirivong's Ouk Thon to see red, also for a second bookable offence according to card-happy referee Yien Kivatanak. The single point saw BBU leapfrog over Phnom Penh Crown into sixth spot.

The stand-out games in the C-League for the coming weekend see leaders National Police facing Phnom Penh Crown at 2.30pm on Saturday. Crown were the only team to inflict a defeat on the Police in the 1st round of matches when they recorded a 4-3 win in early April. In the early start on Sunday, Boeung Ket's Rubbermen meet 2nd-placed NagaCorp in a tasty encounter. Word on the grapevine is that last season's C-League goal-grabber Julius Oiboh may be heading back this way from a stint in Thailand to join up with Boeung Ket for their run-in.

The Cambodian U-22 squad have a match against the touring Philippines U-22s on Wednesday 13 June at 4pm, as they prepare for their U-22 Asian Cup Qualifying Group matches that kick-off in Laos ten days later. The C-League will take a break after the matches on Sunday 17 June until Wednesday 11 July to allow players involved with the U-22s not to miss any league games. The squad have just returned from a stint in Saigon and announced that four members of their squad have been jettisoned because they are overage. Which beggars the question as to why did the coaches and the FFC choose them in the first place, as they would've known the qualifying birthdates from the AFC ages ago. One more head-scratcher from the weird and wonderful world of Cambodian football.

Inconsistent Crown

PPCFC starting line-up: Back LtoR: Lika, Obadin, Chamrouen, Njoku, Dara, Sovan. Front: Asonibe, Suhana, Sothy, Sokumpheak, Borey. Click to enlarge.

The final match of the 1st round of this season's Metfone C-League summed up Phnom Penh Crown's season so far. Inconsistent. With five players unavailable for one reason or another, Crown met the Army at the Olympic Stadium languishing one place off the Super 4 qualifying spots and with a split record of four wins and four defeats from their eight league matches to-date. Sam Chamrouen came in at goalkeeper after Yok Ary was absent because of a family bereavement, whilst new signing Samrith Seiha needs to wait for a qualifying period according to the federation. Vi Lika got the nod alongside Odion Obadin in the middle of defence with Tieng Tiny and Peak Rady sitting in the stands under suspension. Emmanuel Frimpong is still nursing a painful calf injury, so Henry Asonibe took his place in midfield. The game began in the worst possible fashion for Crown after pre-match rain left the surface slippery. With just 39 seconds on the clock they found themselves behind after Pov Phearith's cross skidded under Obadin's foot and fell kindly to Phoung Soksana, who took a touch and planted his drive inside the post from fifteen yards out. That was the Army's only shot on target in the first-half though Crown keeper Chamrouen's decision to punch anything that came into his box, gave his defenders a few heart-stopping moments. Sou Yaty, in the Army goal, came to his team's rescue with a stunning stop on 22 minutes. Kouch Sokumpheak's right wing cross was inch perfect to a waiting Kingsley Njoku at the far post and his shot had goal written all over it until Yaty's one-handed point-blank save denied the Nigerian striker. Two minutes later though, Njoku found himself in space twenty yards from goal and his aim was unerring as he arrowed a low drive inside the far post, with Yaty helpless. Crown continued to press with Sokumpheak sending two efforts high over the bar from the edge of the penalty area. Four minutes from the interval, Yaty was at it again, denying Khim Borey's header at close range after Obadin had nodded on Sokumpheak's corner and thirty seconds later, spread himself to deny a Njoku header, after Sokumpheak picked him out with a well-aimed center.
With Crown making little impression at the start of the 2nd half, coach David Booth was just about to make a double change when the Army grabbed a second goal from nowhere on the hour mark. Chhin Chhoeun chased down and robbed Vi Lika, got to the bye-line and rolled in a low center where Phearith and Obadin challenged for the ball, which squirmed over the line. For the last twenty minutes Crown peppered the Army penalty area with high balls but without success. Sokumpheak flighted a neat cross to the far post but Sos Suhana seemed surprised to reach the ball and his effort went the wrong side of the upright. Njoku fed Sokumpheak inside the box but the ball escaped him and Yaty was out quickly to smother. Obadin pushed forward but lent back and blasted over when Borey's free-kick fell to him fifteen yards out. Their final chance came and went in the first minute of injury time when Borey's corner was met with a downward header by Hong Pheng and Yaty was there again, in the right place at the right time, to fingertip the rising ball over the crossbar. And that was it, Crown went down 2-1 and with BBU drawing 1-1 with Kirivong, they slipped down to seventh spot in the C-League table. They meet leaders National Police on Saturday and will need to up their game by a considerable margin if they are to begin to resurrect their flagging league fortunes.
Crown's head coach David Booth was left open-mouthed at his team's performance. "That was the worst game I've ever seen from a team I've ever taken. The worst performance I've ever had from any team. From start to finish. I was disappointed in every area, the number of times we gave the ball away, the number of times we passed the ball to them, we didn't win any tackles, we talked for three days about this game, about not making mistakes, but within fifty seconds we were a goal down because we made a mistake. The whole thing just got worse and worse, we went to three at the back, to get around the back of them, but we've just not played at all today. It was absolute rubbish.
There was nothing in the game, no speed, no determination, no passion, no feeling, nothing. I just felt the game was empty, and it's not just one or two players, it was everyone. Everything was flat. For what reason I don't know."
PPCFC line-up v Army: Chamrouen, Dara, Sovan, Lika (H Pheng 73), Obadin, Asonibe (Sovanna 61), Sothy (Chaya 61), Suhana, Njoku, Borey, Sokumpheak. Subs not used: Vanthan, Srin, Seyha, Sophanal, Rathanak, Makara. Bookings: Asonibe, Borey.

Kouch Sokumpheak and his Crown team just before the match begins

"Very happy to be back"

Samrith Seiha pictured at national team training camp in 2008

"I'm very happy and pleased to join Phnom Penh Crown and to link up with my old friends Khim Borey and Kouch Sokumpheak with whom I've played many national team games at all levels. I'm also very happy to be back playing again after my time away from football. I really missed it," said Samrith Seiha when asked about his return to football after a two-year break from the game. Feeling disillusioned and carrying a nagging injury, Seiha called time on his football activities at what some would call the height of his young career, as the country's number 1 goalkeeper in 2010. He simply walked away in the same year that he'd won the Hun Sen Cup with his club team, the Ministry of National Defense, and the BIDC Cup with Cambodia's SEA Games line-up, where he picked up the goalkeeper of the tournament award. Still only 22 years old, Seiha is one of six siblings and hails from Phnom Penh Thmey in the Russey Keo district of the capital. He joined the Army team as a fourteen year old and quickly made his national team debut in the U-14 age group level. There was never any question about taking the gloves between the posts as far as Seiha was concerned. "I always wanted to be a goalkeeper, it was the only position for me," he said as he recalled his early days in which he represented both Wat Phnom High School as well as Santhormuk High School, who won the local Phnom Penh cup and came third in the national schools trophy. He also played university football for Asia Europe University but his main club team was always the Ministry of National Defense, though the relationship was often a rocky one. At the beginning of the 2009 season, Seiha and a handful of Army players including Khim Borey were suspended by the club after they lost a cup match. After a couple of months the club lifted the suspension and nothing more was said but it left a bitter taste. Nevertheless, the Army club rallied and captured the Hun Sen Cup beating Phnom Penh Crown in the final the following season. The young goalkeeper has represented Cambodia at U-14, U-17, U-19, U-21 and U-23 age group levels with distinction and made his Senior national team debut as a seventeen year old against Malaysia in a friendly international match in Malaysia in June 2007 under coach Scott O'Donell. A 6-nil drubbing didn't deter him and he quickly established himself as the national team's regular keeper, fighting off the challenge of Ouk Mic and others. That all came to an end when Seiha turned his back on the game two years ago but he's now back in the groove, raring to go, with his appetite refreshed and determined to get back to enjoying the game he loves so much. Phnom Penh Crown fans will be very pleased to hear that.

Seiha making his 2007 national team debut against Malaysia. Cambodia lost 6-0.

Seiha in action against Singapore in the 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup

Seiha in from the cold

Samrith Seiha in action. Pic nicksellsphotography.com

Samrith Seiha has come in from the cold so to speak. After turning his back on football a couple of years ago, the best goalkeeper in the country at that time, has decided it's time to smell the greasepaint again and has joined Phnom Penh Crown for the remainder of the season. Before his decision to quit, Seiha had been Cambodia's number 1 stopper for the previous couple of years, holding off challenges from Sou Yaty and Ouk Mic to the national team jersey at Under-23 and Senior team level. His agility, bravery and shot-stopping had been hallmarks of a very talented individual who'd won the Hun Sen Cup with his club team, the Ministry of National Defense, in 2010 and the BIDC Cup with Cambodia, where he picked up the goalkeeper of the tournament award, in 2009. However, his relationship with his domestic employers hadn't always been a happy one and he missed the first part of the 2009 season, as did Khim Borey, now his teammate at Crown, when the Army suspended them both. Seiha had joined the Army as a 14-year old in 2004 and appeared for his country at all age-group levels before he made his debut for the Senior team in a 6-0 defeat in Malaysia in June 2007, aged just seventeen. That same year the young stopper was in the Cambodian youth squad that reached the semi-finals of the Asean youth championships in Brunei and included the teenage strike-force of Borey and Kouch Sokumpheak, now colleagues at Crown. The first goal for Seiha is to get himself fit after his long lay-off and force his way into the Crown starting line-up. More on Crown's new arrival later. * I checked with the player himself and he confirmed his family name is spelt Samrith.

Samrith Seiha before the BIDC Cup in 2009

Samrith Seiha gets advice from Crown coach David Booth last weekend

Clean up your act

Some good news coming out of the UK as far as the Football League is concerned. All the football clubs outside the Barclays Premier League have voted to support proposals aimed at encouraging sportsmanship and stopping gamesmanship in matches. So what does that mean? Gamesmanship comes in many forms and can include showing disrespect to the match officials such as crowding around the referee after he's made a decision, holding up an imaginary card after being fouled to try and get your opponent booked, and in particular actions such as diving/simulation, time-wasting and feigning injury. These have always been in the game, on every continent, but they are definitely more prevalent in recent years whether you are watching football in England, or in Cambodia. The sooner we cut out this cancer from the game the better for everyone concerned. Managers, coaches and particularly players have to take responsibility for their own actions and clean up their act. The Football League are asking referees to support their initiatives by being more robust in their handling of these situations, in addition to occasions where players obstruct the quick taking of free-kicks and steal ground at throw-ins. All of these situations occur in the Metfone C-League on a regular basis. Feigning injury is definitely a blight on the game here, as is obstructing quick free-kicks. Clearly coaches have told their players to stand in front of the ball and Cambodian referees have so far been completely ineffectual in clamping down on both of these situations. I'd also like to see teams adopt a policy of kicking the ball to the goalkeeper rather than putting it out for a throw-in, after the game has been halted for an injury, as teams use this tactic to gain ground unfairly in my view. Let us hope that the football federation here take the lead of the Football League and institute similar proposals in Cambodia. Proposals designed to improve the game as a viewing spectacle and to bring sportsmanship back into the limelight.

Swell of support

I sense a swell of support amongst some of the footballing public here to give the soon-to-be-vacant Cambodian national team coaching job to a Khmer football hero of the past, Pen Phath. With South Korean Lee Tae-Hoon expected to vacate the hot-seat next month, Pen Phath's name has come into the frame, to coincide with a statement by the football federation that they are seeking a homegrown local to take charge of the national squad for the important AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers in October. A federation spokesman suggested that now Cambodia has ten recently qualified AFC A-Licence coaches, then homegrown is the way to go. Personally, I feel that's a retrograde step at this time, when national morale is already at its lowest ebb for many years. My choice would be to appoint a suitably experienced foreign coach, with a thorough understanding of international football in this region, together with the best local coach for the two of them to work in tandem alongside each other, with a view to the local coach taking over in 12-15 months time. Only one local coach has any real bone fide international experience and that's Naga's Prak Sovannara, who had a previous stint in charge. None of the others, especially the recently qualified coaches, have the nous and know-how to operate at the level required, and that includes Pen Phath. A national team regular for a decade in the late 1960s, he later played in Thailand before moving to France where he played and coached at district level. He's also been involved in guiding the French-Khmer Select team that travelled to Phnom Penh in late 2010 and are returning for more games in August. However, that experience certainly doesn't pave the way to become the Cambodian national coach, anymore than one of the new A-qualified coaches, who have zero coaching experience at international level. Anything less than sticking with a tried and tested foreign coach will be courting further disasters to rival the twenty-one months of the Lee Tae-Hoon reign. I can of course sympathise with the desire to see a Khmer coach in charge of the national team but we have to face facts, and think with our head not our heart, as they aren't ready yet. It's simply too tough a task for any one of them to take on.

Chewing the fat

Chewing the football fat with Rick (in blue) in the hotel lobby

A photo from our visit to Singapore surfaced on the blog of Rick Olivares, a PR and media guy who was the press officer of the Philippines outfit taking part in the competition, Loyola Meralco Sparks. They were staying in the same hotel as Crown. Rick has his own blog, Bleachersbrew, on football in the Philippines, which is rising fast and furious, so worth checking it out, here. Loyola beat Geylang 2-1 to advance into the Q-F's of the Singapore Cup.

Festival Final Day

The adventures of the Cambodian U-14s national squad in Malaysia reached their finale today and the youngsters will return home tomorrow. It was the last day of matches and Cambodia met the hosts Malaysia and then Vietnam in the 60-minute format, where Cambodia played two different teams of eleven players in each half. With a record up to that point of three draws and four defeats, I'm sure the Cambodian youngsters were desperate for a victory but the hosts were in no mood to roll over and came out on top 4-0 at the final whistle in the morning kick-off. In the afternoon start against neighbours Vietnam, the Khmers succumbed to a 3-1 defeat with In Sodavid grabbing a last minute consolation goal. So results-wise no victories in their nine matches but three creditable draws and a series of performances that have been of great encouragement to head coach Bouy Dary. Their opposition have been the best of their age-group that the SE Asian countries can offer up and to be in contention in every match and against each nation is a remarkable testament to the youngsters and their coaches. We must remember that Cambodian youth football is at the very start of its emergence with only one football academy in place, at Phnom Penh Crown, which has been operating for just over a year. Crown provided the bulk of the U-14 squad with 17 players out of the 22, though their best player, Phoeun Sopheak, was ruled out before the competition with a knee injury. The AFC themselves do not release the results of the games played at the Festival. They prefer to keep the competitive edge out of the Festival and to concentrate more on the teamwork, friendship and sportsmanship elements of the 12-nation tournament. To that end, everyone is a winner.   
The Cambodia line-ups for today's matches:

v  Malaysia: (1st half): Chanvuthy, Noeut, Phearath, Titchhy, Senteang, Chanchav, Ravann, T Chhaya, Nuron, Hap, Sakrovy.
(2nd half): Pheakdey, Piphop, K Chhaya, Baraing, Sovann, Rozak, Chanpolin, Sodavid, Chansopheak, Muslim, Ponvuthy.
v Vietnam: (1st half): Pheakdey, Piphop, K Chhaya, Baraing, Sovann, Rozak, Chanpolin, Sodavid, Chansopheak, Muslim, Ponvuthy.
(2nd half):  Chanvuthy, Noeut, Phearath, Titchhy, Senteang, Chanchav, Ravann, T Chhaya, Nuron, Hap, Sakrovy.

Festival Day 3

The AFC U-14 Festival of Football being held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in Malaysia moved into its third day of  matches for the Cambodian U-14 national team today. The second format of games began with 11-a-side sixty minute matches with a half-time break when each country changes their line-up, barring injuries, so all 22 players in each squad get an even amount of game-time. Cambodia met Myanmar this afternoon and went down to a narrow 1-0 defeat. They meet hosts Malaysia (1045am) and then Vietnam (3.30pm) in their final two games tomorrow in the same format, which will bring their first overseas tournament to a close.
v Myanmar: (1st half): Chanvuthy, Noeut, Phearath, Titchhy, Senteang, Chanchav, Ravann, T Chhaya, Nuron, Hap, Sakrovy.
(2nd half): Pheakdey, Piphop, K Chhaya, Baraing, Sovann, Rozak, Chanpolin, Sodavid, Chansopheak, Muslim, Ponvuthy.

Crown come unstruck

Crown line-up: Back LtoR: Obadin, Sothy, Lika, Tarley, Seiha, Dara. Front: Asonibe, Borey, Suhana, Sokumpheak, Sovan

A practice match designed to give the players some game-time during the mid-season break in the Metfone C-League did not go according to plan for Phnom Penh Crown this afternoon, at their own RSN Stadium. Boeung Ket were the visitors and both teams started with strong line-ups. Crown were first to spark into life and their ex-keeper keeper Peng Bunchhay was at full stretch to save Sos Suhana's drive after just two minutes. A weak headed clearance by Vi Lika was gobbled up by Boeung Ket's in-form hitman Nwakuna Friday who lobbed the ball over a stranded Samreth Seiha, who was getting his first chance to impress between the sticks for Crown, for the opening goal on 19 minutes. A couple of minutes later and Melvin Tarley squandered an opportunity to equalize when he blasted over from ten yards out. However, in their next attack, Tarley's square pass to Suhana looked to have earned Crown the leveller, but his well-aimed shot rebounded off the foot of the post, conveniently into the path of Khim Borey whose aim was true to make it 1-1. On 35 minutes and against the run of play, Boeung Ket got their noses in front when Friday's shot took a deflection off Lika's boot and evaded Seiha's despairing dive. On the stroke of half-time, Bunchhay came to his side's rescue again, beating out Kouch Sokumpheak's thunderbolt and Borey's follow-up was first blocked and then sailed wide.
With storm clouds gathering overhead, the second half began and Crown's Ouk Sothy had a low drive scrambled away at the near post and Borey headed over from the resulting corner. Friday netted his hat-trick goal on 70 minutes after the Crown backline gave him too much room and four minutes later Boeung Ket sealed the result with their fourth, courtesy of a diving header by Chukwuma  Ohuruogu. Kingsley Njoku headed over when well-placed and Crown knew it was not their day when Sokumpheak's 25-yard free-kick thundered back into play off the crossbar. A couple of minutes from the end and the match blew up, as it had been threatening to do with some weak refereeing throughout. Njoku fended off Phoeun Saorum and Lar Pichseyla decided to take matters into his own hands, aiming a flying karate-kick at the Crown striker's midriff, causing players from both sides to threaten an escalation. Order was quickly restored and the final whistle blown, but Boeung Ket need to get control of Pichseyla, already dismissed in this season's C-League for a disgraceful challenge that could've ended someone's career. As for the match itself, it was no holds barred throughout - a first-half tackle by Sin Dalin on Asonibe was x-rated - and Crown needed to test some of their players with three missing from their league game against the Army on Wednesday through suspension, namely Pheak Rady, Tieng Tiny and Sok Pheng. With a 4-1 reversal, coach David Booth will have some food for thought.
PPCFC line-up: Seiha, Dara, Sovan, Lika (Vanthan 46), Obadin, Sothy (H Pheng 68), Asonibe, Suhana, Tarley (Njoku 46), Borey, Sokumpheak. 

Waiting for a corner to come

This free-kick from Kouch Sokumpheak rattled the cross-bar

Samreth Seiha gets some advice from coach David Booth before the match

Team talk for the starting XI

Three of the squad's younger players are interviewed on camera by Aman

Festival Day 2

The results from day 2 of the AFC U-14 Festival of Football in Malaysia are just in. The bare bones of the results, with matches played over a thirty minute period, are as follows:
Cambodia 1 v 4 Timor Leste - Cambodia goal scored by Kim Hap in the 1st minute.
Cambodia 0 v 2 Thailand
Cambodia 0 v 0 Myanmar.
Head coach Bouy Dary felt that his youngsters began the first game against Timor Leste really well and took an early lead through Preah Khan Reach's Kim Hap, only for the boys to switch off, stop doing as they'd be told and allowed Timor Leste to storm back into the game. Against Thailand, who were bigger in stature as Cambodian are finding most of the teams in this competition, the head coach was suitably impressed by his team, who played good football and the match could've gone either way. It went in favour of Thailand who scored twice, including an own goal. The goalless draw against Myanmar in the final game today was a repeat of yesterday's drawn tie. Dary declared himself happy with the way his team have competed and played, regardless of the results and the Cambodian team have also impressed the other coaches and fans as well, he reports.

The Cambodian youngsters will be involved in a skills test day tomorrow with members of the C-Licence coaching course that is being held simultaneously with the Festival. On Saturday the Cambodian U-14 team move onto the second stage of games, lasting sixty minutes each, with a half-time break. The 22-strong squad will be split into two 11-a-side teams, as it has for the first round of matches, and Team 1 will play in the first-half and Team 2 will change places with them for the 2nd half. 3 substitutions are allowed to any team. The Cambodians meet Myanmar again at 2pm on Saturday and then in the Festival's final day of competition, they come up against the hosts, Malaysia at 10.45am and then finish with a game against Vietnam U-14s at 3.30pm.

The line-ups for the three matches today:
v Timor Leste: Chanvuthy, Phearath, Noeut, Titchhy (capt), Senteang, Chanchav, Ravann, T Chhaya, Nuron, Hap, Sakrovy.
v Thailand: Pheakdey, K Chhaya, Senteang, Baraing, Sovann (capt), Chanpolin, Rosak, Sodavid, Chansopheak (Nuron), Ponvuthy, Muslim.
v Myanmar: Chanvuthy, Phearath, Sovann, Titchhy (capt), Senteang, Chanchav, Sodavid, Ravann, Nuron, Hap, Sakrovy.

First day views

The Cambodian contingent at the AFC opening ceremony

These are a few pictures from the first day of the AFC U-14 Festival of Football in Malaysia, taken from a Philippines facebook account of their U-14 team, who are known as the Little Akzals.

Action from the opening Cambodia match against Philippines

The Cambodian (blue) and Philippines teams line up

A look at the Timor Leste team, who are allegedly U-14

The Australian U-14s who have been on a meat and more meat diet

Students downed in the rain

The starting line-up for PPCFC v BBU. Back Row LToR: Tarley, Vanthan, Makara, Chamrouen, Obadin, Lika. Front: Asonibe, Chaya, Sothy, Sovanna, Srin. Click to enlarge.

The Metfone C-League is on its mid-season break. So Phnom Penh Crown have arranged a couple of friendly matches to keep their squad in shape. The first of those took place this afternoon at the RSN Stadium, initially in bright sunshine but soon in a downpour of rain that eased off as the match ended. Build Bright United were the opposition and Crown coach David Booth used the opportunity to give a run-out to some of the lesser-used players in his squad. One player who didn't manage a start was midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong who has suffered a setback to his recovery with a muscle strain and will sit out the next week. The game started slowly and sparked into life after 20 minutes when Henry Asonibe headed an Ouk Sothy corner wide at the far post. The same player then tested the agility of BBU keeper Hem Simay with a 25-yard drive that the stopper tipped around the post. Sam Chamrouen, in the Crown goal, was called upon to spread himself to deny BBU before late in the half, two efforts from Melvin Tarley should've given the home team the lead. First, the striker fired wide on the run and then missed badly from a few yards out when set up by Chan Chaya. Eight minutes into the second half and Crown nosed in front with a converted penalty from defender Odion Obadin. Chaya was felled as he broke into the penalty box on one of his trademark surging runs and Obadin stepped up to drill his spot-kick down the middle. Substitute Sok Pheng and Chaya both rolled shots inches wide of the target before Pheng made no mistake with a close range finish after good approach work by Ly Kimhor and Koem Sophanal with twenty minutes left on the clock. Sophanal had two good chances to increase the lead late on, as he cut through the BBU back-line only to find Sos Proshim in the way both times. The game ended with Crown taking the friendly honours 2-0. Three of the Crown squad were unavailable, with Sok Sovan, Sos Suhana and Hong Pheng in Vietnam with the Cambodian U-22 squad for a friendly against Saigon FC, which ended 0-0.

PPCFC line-up v BBU: Chamrouen, Srin (Seyha 46), Vanthan (Da 46), Lika, Obadin, Asonibe (Lyhor 61), Sovanna, Sothy (Sophanal 61 (Makara 89)), Chaya, Makara (Rathanak 46), Tarley (S Pheng 61).

Odion Obadin opens the scoring from the penalty spot on 53 minutes

Melvin Tarley is denied by BBU keeper Hem Simay in the 1st half

Opening day results

The Cambodia U-14's line-up in the first match v Philippines - click to enlarge

I spoke to Cambodia U-14s head coach Bouy Dary straight after the youngsters final match of the opening day of the AFC U-14 Festival of Football, played in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and it was clear that he was immensely pleased and proud of how his young squad had performed in their three matches today. Not only was he happy with their showing in the three games but others watching the matches had also commented to him on how talented the Cambodian youngsters were and how their style of play was a pleasure to watch. The U-14s began the day against the Philippines and found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-0 defeat, though Dary felt his youngsters had the measure of their opponents towards the end of the 30-minute game. All the matches in the first two days are of thirty minute duration. The Philippines team had spent the last couple of months at a training camp in Palermo, Italy and had played a dozen warm-up matches whilst overseas, showing the difference in preparation between the two countries, with Dary having access to his squad for three days a week for the last two months. The second and third matches of the day for the Cambodian U-14s were in the afternoon. Dary played two line-ups of eleven players each, ensuring all of his squad players got game-time. The match against Myanmar couldn't have started any better with a goal by Kunthea Ravann of Preah Khan Reach after just a minute. Despite this head start, Myanmar later equalised though the head coach felt his team were always the better side on display as the teams fought out a 1-1 draw at the final whistle. For their final game on day 1, Cambodia faced the much taller and physically stronger team from West Australia but that didn't deter the Cambodian youngsters who were unlucky not to record their first win. A goal by Yeu Muslim on eleven minutes gave Cambodia the lead but Australia levelled and a penalty by Pov Ponvuthy went astray leaving a final score of 1-1. Dary was full of praise for his boys in both matches against bigger opposition and felt they were the better team in both encounters. The U-14's have three games tomorrow against Timor Leste, Thailand and Myanmar again, all of thirty minutes duration, before three more games that will be played for an hour apiece on Saturday and Sunday.
The line-ups for the three matches today:
v Philippines: Pheakdey, K Chhaya, Piphop, Baraing, Sovann (capt), Chanpolin, Rosak, Sodavid, Chansopheak, Ponvuthy, Muslim.
v Myanmar: Chanvuthy, Phearath, Noeut, Titchhy (capt), Senteang, Chanchav, Ravann, T Chhaya, Nuron, Hap, Sakrovy.
v West Australia: Pheakdey, K Chhaya, Piphop, Baraing, Sovann (capt), Chanpolin, Rosak, Sodavid, Chansopheak, Ponvuthy, Muslim.

The Cambodia U-14s for the 1-1 with Myanmar - click to enlarge

The Australia team in yellow completely dwarf their Cambodian opponents in blue

U-14s fixtures

The matches for the Cambodian U-14 national team, who are competing in the AFC U-14 Festival of Football in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia this week have been announced, with a tough first day of competition tomorrow, with three matches against Philippines, Myanmar and West Australia. The U-14s will play a total of six matches of 30 minutes duration over the first two days. They then have a skills test day on Friday before their first 60-minute match on Saturday and then they end the tournament with two hour-long games on Sunday 3 June, against the hosts and Vietnam. The 22-strong squad will be split into two teams of 11-a-side which the coach, Bouy Dary, will alternate among the games. Here are the fixtures:
Wed 30 May:
10.30am  Cambodia v Philippines (30 mins)
2.45pm    Cambodia v Myanmar (30 mins)
5.00pm    Cambodia v West Australia (30 mins)
Thur 31 May:
8.00am    Cambodia v Timor Leste (30 mins)
10.15am  Cambodia v Thailand (30 mins)
4.15pm    Cambodia v Myanmar (30 mins)
Sat 2 June:
2.00pm    Cambodia v Myanmar (60 mins)
Sun 3 June:
10.45am  Cambodia v Malaysia (60 Mins)
3.30pm    Cambodia v Vietnam (60 mins)

Cambodia will not play against Brunei, Indonesia, Laos and Singapore, who are the other nations taking part in the AFC Festival.

The Phnom Penh Crown 1st-team squad have lined-up two matches this week, during the mid-season break for the Metfone C-League. Tomorrow (Wednesday), they meet BBU at the RSN Stadium in Tuol Kork with a 2.30pm kick-off. On Saturday 2 June, Boeung Ket will be the visitors to the RSN Stadium for a 3pm start time. The next C-League game for PPCFC will be against the Army on Wednesday 6 June, with a 2.30pm kick-off.

Services no longer required

Lee Tae-Hoon - his services will not be required any longer

I've just heard some news, late in the day, which has brought some relief from a very trying period in Cambodian football that pretty much everyone will want to forget. I'm referring to the reign of the Cambodian national football coach, Lee Tae-Hoon, over the past twenty-one months since his appointment in August 2010. I understand the head coach's contract will not be renewed when it comes to an end next month. This was a contract extension granted by the federation a year ago, though it's believed the bulk of the salary was donated by the South Korean FA. From the beginning, his stint in charge went pretty much nowhere. Aside from a home win over Laos in the World Cup, results from the games under his supervision in the big competitions such as the AFF Suzuki Cup, the AFC Challenge Cup, the FIFA World Cup and the SEA Games were an unmitigated disaster and left Cambodia lagging well behind their international team peers. There were no redeeming features of his time in charge that spring readily to mind - though his loyalty from the players never diminished - and in a results-driven business like football, the writing was on the wall over a year ago, and before he signed that contract extension. Why it has taken this long for the football federation to act is beyond my reasoning. Only they can answer the charges that should be levelled against them by every Cambodian football fan. Now we must await the deliberations of those same football authorities to see who will lead Cambodia at the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers, to be held in Myanmar between 5-13 October. The word is that they will seek a local coach to take charge. The fate of the nation's football future rests in their hands. It doesn't bear thinking about.

Wave goodbye

The future of Cambodian football - the U-14 squad head for Malaysia. Click to enlarge.

Pictured above earlier this morning are the Cambodia U-14 squad heading for the AFC U-14 Festival of Football in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of the state of Sabah in Malaysia, where the tournament begins on Wednesday. The matches will involve twelve ASEAN nations including a team from Western Australia, and will take place at the Likas Sports Complex, the best facilities in eastern Malaysia and in a stadium that holds 35,000 people. Over 250 players from the countries taking part will start their 11-a-side 30-minute matches on Wednesday and end with 60-minute games on the final day, Monday of next week. On the sidelines of the Festival, there are also coaching, refereeing, physio and S2S (Secrets to Success) workshops for officials from all countries involved. More on the U-14's adventures as we hear it.

The Cambodia U-14 squad pictured a few days ago. Click to enlarge.