Talking Points from Round 8 of C League 2016

Round Eight Talking Points

Prodigal CV11 and BKA escape to victory

In a match that, to the cynical, may have had ‘too good to be too true’ written all-over it Boeung Ket Angkor, 1-0 down with five minutes to play, escaped to a 3-1 victory at the Olympic Stadium. CV11 scored an eight minute hat-trick (85’, 89’, 93’), his second of the season, the first a stunning left-footed first-time volley [at 4:57 here].  Vathanaka now shares top-spot on the scoring chart with Army’s North Korean sensation Choe Myong-ho - 12 goals from the opening 8 rounds of league fixtures. CV11 and strike-partner Khoun Laboravy have, between them, scored 28% of all goals by Cambodian players in the league this season!

Tiger maul Western

In the round’s opening fixture Cambodian Tiger put six past hapless Western Phnom Penh. Masato Yoshihara opened the scoring with a cracking strike from the edge of the area, the Olympic Stadium seems to encourage Golazos, whilst compatriot Tomoki Muramatsu scored a hat-trick. Western have now conceded 30 goals in eight games; they may have their own stadium but they have little else.

Phnom Penh Crown make Chelsea’s title defence look competent

Asia Euro Utd travelled to the RSN, the home of the champions, on Sunday evening with no win from their opening 7 league games and 17 goals conceded. They emerged with a 2-0 win that left Crown in 6^th ten points behind the dual league leaders. Similarities with the poor title defence of the English champions who also parted ways with an Iberian coach mid-season. Current Coach Sam Schweingruber’s assessment on the Crown Facebook page was accurate – the lack of clear chances and strikers capable of finishing is a major hindrance. With no Booysen and no Bisan there are no goals and little excitement. Despite playing a single game South African Booysen has scored 1/3^rd of the team's league strikes this season. Whilst the academy produces decent players the recruitment, particularly of the critical foreign players, looks sub-optimal.

Army under-represented in National Team

Another break in the league next week-end as the Angkor Warriors (FIFA ranking 183) take on East Timor (ranking 175) at Olympic Stadium on Sunday ahead of AFC Asian Cup qualifiers (2nd June away; 7th at home) versus Chinese Tapei. Twenty-five players called up from six C League clubs:

Club	National team players
Svay Rieng	7
Boeung Ket Angkor	6
Phnom Penh Crown	5
Nagaworld	2
Army	2
Police	2

Army, given their barnstorming league form, seem under-represented and Pom Tola, Khek Khemrin, Phoung Soksana and Chhin Chhouen are unlucky not to be represented.

State of the League

	Round 8	Season
Goals per Game	3.6	3.83
Foreigner Goals	56%	57.5%

Army defeat CMAC at the Stade Chas

National Defence 3 - 0 CMAC Utd.
Army Stadium, 22nd May 2016

The colonial era Stade Chas. A large manually operated cricket-style score board with a tiled roof overshadowed by the soaring brick pillars which peak above the houses and overlook the busy Monivong roundabout. The quaintest of the four Phnom Penh stadia but home to a team who are seriously challenging for the Cambodian title.

With title rivals Boeung Ket Angkor completing a stunning come-from-behind win versus stuttering Svay Rieng the previous evening the pressure was on the hosts, Army, for this afternoon kick-off. Opponents CMAC Utd had exceeded pre-season expectations and provided a relatively stern test. Nevertheless the Army were the stronger team and dominated possession on the fraying natural grass surface. North Korean Kim Kyong-hon was excellent; playing in a more advanced position than earlier in the season his skillful touches created space and opportunity.

At times Army seemed to, in Arsene Arsenal fashion, want to walk the ball into the net – plenty of tidy possession and balls across the six-yard box but no killer finish. However the second North Korean, the less hard-working and chunkier but mightily effective Choe Myong-ho, sealed the deal. Converting a soft first half penalty before adding the 3rd goal in the 85th minute. Myong-ho now has 12 goals in his debut Cambodian season. Level in the scorers chart with The Prodigy CV11.

Between the North Korean dual strikes the busy Army captain Phoung Soksana, number 99, doubled the advantage with his 4th strike of the season whilst midfielder Chreng Polroth also looked good and delivered a number of excellent set-pieces.

The mine-clearers had their moments. South African Matthew Rhoda came close to equalising early in the second half with a cracking volley. Half-time substitute the giant Nigerian Okereke Timothy was a handful for the Military’s defense which was anchored by the bleached hair of Taku Yanagidate.

But ultimately a 3-0 win for the hosts who are level on points with Boueng Ket Angkor as the season’s half-way point draws near.

Talking Points from Week 7 of the C League

Week Seven Talking Points

Unlike in the UK, where festive football fixtures feature, another break in the Cambodian league for the King’s Birthday holiday. So, a little, late, but here are some key points from the leagues’ 7^th round of fixtures.

RSN aiming for a good spectator experience

A nice stadium, cheap and plentiful beer, and even professionally designed match programs; Phnom Penh Crown are doing their best to create a pleasurable match-day experience. Even the parking, which was horrendous for the previous rounds fixture versus league leading Boeung Ket Angkor, had been improved for the visit of Svay Rieng. Unfortunately the offering on the pitch doesn’t quite live up to the surrounds. Only matches involving similarly underwhelming Nagaworld have had as few goals as Crown matches this season.

Team	Goals per match	Scored/match	Conceded/match
CMAC United	5.57	2.14	3.43
Western Phnom Penh	4.86	1.43	3.43
Boeung Ket Angkor	4.71	3.86	0.86
Svay Rieng	4.43	2.71	1.71
National Defense Ministry	3.86	2.86	1.00
Cambodian Tiger	3.86	1.71	2.14
Asia Euro United	3.57	1.14	2.43
National Police	3.14	0.86	2.29
Nagaworld	2.29	1.29	1.00
Phnom Penh Crown	2.29	1.29	1.00

The provincials visited the RSN with an artificially inflated league position – no side had enjoyed an easier early run-in than Svay Rieng and they deservedly lost a narrow game at the home of the Champions. George Kelechi came off the bench in the second-half to head home the game’s only goal with 5 minutes left. The Nigerian connecting with an excellent corner delivered by the otherwise anonymous Keo Sokpheng. Crown are very solid at the back but struggle to create many opportunities – wide attacker In Sodavid looks promising but some of the best attacking flair came on the rare occasions that French centre-back Anthony Aymard ventured into Svay Rieng’s half. The visitors, cheered on by some boisterous away fans, looked more incisive once Prak Mony Udom came on from the bench with Ugandan Mohammad Latif offering some flair and Cruyff-turns but little decisiveness.

Joint League Leaders get their wins

In slightly contrasting styles both league leaders, Boeung Ket Angkor and National Defense, claimed all three points. The former demolished National Police on the back of a four-goal haul from national team striker Khoun Laboravy. For the Army a less convincing 2-1 home win over the leagues bottom-side Asia Europe; the North Korean duo of Choe Myong-ho and Kim Kyong-hon getting the goals. The former leads the goal-scorers chart with 10 strikes.

Three sides remain winless

Seven games into the new season and still three sides: National Police, Western Phnom Penh, and Asia Europe have yet to register a win this season with the teams having a combined minus 33 goal difference after seven games a-piece. With relatively tough matches again for all three in round 8 in may be a while before either pick up a win.

Top Match of Next Week

National Defence vs CMAC Utd, Sunday 22^nd 15h30, Army Stadium

Two teams who have outperformed their respective pre-season expectations meet in Sunday’s early kick-off. National Defence top the league on the back of the goals of North Korea’s Ronaldo Choe Myong-ho whilst the mine-clearers currently sit comfortably above the relegation battle. South African Matthew Rhoda scored the second season hat-trick for a CMAC player in their 4-2 win over Western Phnom Penh in their last outing and the partnership with the 6 goal Nigerian Timothy Okereke looks promising.

State of the League

	Season	Round 7
Goals per Game	3.86	4
% foreign player goals	56.4	45

Boeung Ket Angkor win a tetchy encounter at the home of the Champions

Phnom Penh Crown 0 – Boeung Ket Angkor 1

RSN Stadium, Saturday 30^th April 2016

These two teams don’t like each other. That much was apparent on the 70^th minute as a second 22-man brawl threatened to break out. Boueng Ket Angkor goalkeeper Sou Yaty sprinted into the melee and appeared to aim a punch. Water bottles were thrown at the visiting players from Phnom Penh Crown fans in the cheap seats. The first brawl had occurred minutes earlier and resulted in a referee, who was slowly losing control of the match, sending a player from each side to the stands. For Crown it was Jang In Yong – a debut to forget for the much-traveled South Korean who had earlier missed a point-blank opportunity and Crown’s best chance of the match.

These two teams may be rivals in the Metfone Cambodian Premier League but, once the dust had cleared, rivals now separated by seven points following this 1-0 win by the visiting Boueng Ket Angkor at the home of the champions.

The rubber-men were marginally the better side and deserved their victory. Phnom Penh Crown may be relatively solid at the back but are essentially toothless in attack. A desolate and isolated George Kelechi trying to lead the line. Balls played over-the-top to the Nigerian but no supporting teammates; Kelechi picking up the ball in his own half and with no red shirts ahead to find.

It was Kelechi who created Crown’s best chance – a run and turn on the left wing and a great cross into the six-yard box. For once a Crown payer in an excellent position to capitalise but In Yong completely fluffed his unmarked header. Yong and In Sodavid were notionally assigned co-attacking duties with Kelechi but, despite some sparks from the latter, were not up to the task. Mid way through the second half, to the cheers of a close to capacity crown at the RSN, Keo Sokpheng entered as the substitute. A player whose importance and value to the team has increased exponentially during his absence.

However minutes after Sokpheng’s entry the game's decisive moment. Chan Vathanaka curled an excellent free-kick into the area and Sok Sovan converted to give Boeung Ket Angkor a lead they did not relinquish. The white-shirted visitors had also enjoyed the better of the first half – CV11 in space down the right and captain Khuon Laboravy on the left. Crown left-back Seut Baraing is a good player and an attacking threat but defensively still very much learning – veteran French centre-back Anthony Aymard visibly encouraging and mentoring the youngster – and Boeung Ket Angkor exploited this throughout regularly aiming balls into CV11’s space. Whilst the Cambodian star did not score his assist was excellent.

Crown are slowly improving – a win over Army prior to this narrowish defeat – but the reality is they may be out of the title race and have not beaten their biggest rivals in their past four encounters.