Asia’s Ronaldo and the Army win four from four

Boeng Ket Angkor 1 – National Defence 2

CMAC Utd 1 – Cambodian Tiger 3

Olympic Stadium

2^nd April 2016

A double header at the Olympic Stadium with the main event a match-up between the two leaders of the Metfone Cambodian Premier League: Boeng Ket Angkor (logically) and Ministry of Defence (surprisingly). Both teams entered match-day four with 100% records and combined +22 goal difference after three games.

A growing crowd witnessed a North Korean show as Army displayed their military might. BKA coach Be Makara left the two attacking fulcrums Khoun Laboravy and Chan Vathanaka out of the starting line-up preferring an African, to a Cambodian, spearhead. The Nigerian trio of Dzarma Bata, Samuel Gbenga and Paul Omogba, the latter operating in a more advanced position than usual, leading the line. Omogba blasting over in early exchanges.

As a goal-less first half progressed the Army grew in confidence and attacking intent. Their forward threesome of captain Phuong Soksana, Reung Bunheing and North Korea’s Choe Myong-ho switching positions and stretching the BKA backline. The full-backs, the excellent Pom Tola and Khek Khemerin, providing overlapping support. It was this Army dominance that caused, after 38 minutes and to the delight of the crowd, Be Makara to demonstrate tactically flexibility and call  CV11 to action. However, unlike in earlier matches this season, Vathanaka could not ignite the game and it was another hero who emerged.

Number 32 Choe Myong-ho is increasingly becoming the leagues star. Nicknamed the Asian Ronaldo here you could see why. The same stocky solid build to the original Brazilian and the same ability to dribble and ghost past defenders. No real pace but able to drift and find space and, given an opportunity, to finish with either foot. It was one such finish, following a goalmouth scramble, that give Choe his 7^th strike of the season. He now sits alone atop the scoring chart. That goal, on 80 minutes, gave Defence a deserved 2-0 lead. BKA hit straight back through Gbenga’s 4^th of the season but never looked like stealing a share of the points as, on the final whistle, the Army celebrated manically and the team looks capable of a championship challenge.

Earlier, under the sun in a much emptier stadium, Cambodian Tiger came back from a goal down to secure victory over CMAC United. With the sounds of a nearby concert rehearsal echoing over the concrete CMAC took the lead with a wonderful curling finish from Un Chi. However Tiger, aided by the preponderance of CMAC’s goalkeeper San Usarphea for rushing off his line with seemingly no awareness of the consequences, responded emphatically. First Usarphea was unlucky to be adjudged to have brought down Taing Sopheak for a penalty that was easily converted by Tomoki Muramatsu. Subsequently poor positioning by the hapless number 22 keeper allowed  both Sopheak and Tomoki to add strikes as Tiger turned around a 1-0 deficit to a 3-1 victory over 15 minutes of second half football. Two victories for Tiger who sit 4^th in a heavily congested mid-table of the league.