Monday, March 6, 2017

A tragic Western for Phnom Penh

Western Phnom Penh 0 – Svay Rieng 5

5th March 2017
Western Stadium

The Western Stadium. Arguably the most pleasant of the four Phnom Penh stadia hosting C League matches. A single stand along one-side with a counter-table for those on the top row and even, bizarrely, a loosely stocked convenience mart at one end of the stand. Unfortunately a nice home is, largely, all Western Phnom Penh have going for them. Just 12 league wins over the past 3+ seasons (18% of matches played) and an average of 2.9 goals conceded per game over the same period.

On Sunday afternoon it was the turn of Svay Rieng to put 5, unanswered, goals past Peng Bunchay in the Western goal. The seventh time in the past 21 games Western PP have conceded five or more goals and a result which puts Svay Rieng top of the nascent league table due to, appropriately enough, goal difference.

The visitors Nigerian trio of Obi, Chigozie, and Chidera spear-headed the attack and contributed four of the five goals. Chidera Ononiwu, number 25, was the brightest and scored a double. However as a result of this fluid attacking trio national team star Prak Mony Udom was forced into a deeper central midfield role and his influence was limited. Nub Tola and the tidy South Korean holding midfielder Kim Nam-gun looked more effective and efficient for maintaining possession and initiating attacks for the variably hirsute Nigerian forwards.

For Western not a great deal to excite but Cambodian forward Run Rany was busy and, in combination with Nigerian Abiodun, created their best opportunities without often threatening the Svay Rieng goal.


Elsewhere Phnom Penh Crown dropped their first points of the season following a 2-2 draw with National Police in the Sunday evening match. The former champions thankful of the consistent excellence of their two best players –Soksela in goal and Booysen with the goals – to salvage a point. Equal with Svay Rieng and Crown after 3 matches are Army, 4-1 winners over Asia Europe, for whom the North Korean Ronaldo Choe Myong-ho is continuing to provide the goals and inspiration. 

No comments:

Post a Comment