Season Opener: Phnom Penh Crown 3 - Cambodian Tiger 1

19-2-2016

Not at the RSN Stadium,

Phnom Penh Crown 3 - 1 Cambodian Tiger

The opening match of the new Metfone C-League season and the champions, albeit champions who finished the last league season in second place, against the Japanese of Cambodian Tiger. With the new league schedule of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings more matches broadcast live across the Kingdom on BTV so, instead on the long trek to north-western Phnom Penh, watching the match through the eyes of the TV camera.

Most of the crowd, particularly any photogenic girls or dancing Barang, seem to get their faces on TV. Want to be a star – head to the RSN Stadium.

The stars on the pitch delivered an exciting, end-to-end and fairly competitive match. But a competitive match which delivered the average Phnom Penh Crown scoreline from last season: a 3-1 victory.

Tiger were energetic from the start – not looking as inept as my pre-season prediction of 7^th would suggest – and with better finishing would have a made a much closer match.  Murumatsu Tomoyuki, wearing number 9, causing the Crown right side defence problems. From one such sortie Om Tavrak heading just wide from the subsequent corner.

However on the 16^th minute Crown took the lead as their leading light – South African Shane Booysen – curled in an excellent free-kick from the edge of the Tiger area. 

In an instant, in an engaging first half, Tiger should have levelled – influential Soung Virak wonderfully fed by In Vichhai chested an easy chance into the hands of Keo Soksela. The Phnom Penh Crown goalkeeper had a good game  - he quickly needed to make another save from Tomoyuki with the rebound somehow headed over by his hapless compatriot Tomohiro Masaki.

Booysen, whose footprint on the game was increasing, forced a fantastic save from Hem Simay on 32 minutes – from the subsequent corner Keo Sokngon hit the woodwork with the goalkeeper completely beaten.

Half time 1-0 and Crown indebted to a combination of Booysen, all the set-pieces and much of the creativity for the home side, and the lack of a predatory killer instinct in the Tiger. Booysen doubled the champion’s advantage on 57 minutes –a nice finish after the tiger defence failed to clear the ball.

Tiger sub and player coach Masakazu Kihra – one career appearance in J League One – threatened to make the match competitive with a nice rising finish from the edge of the area. Learning technique from their coach would benefit Tiger's attackers.

Someone needing less technical training is Booysen. The South African’s deflected shot which, in the UK, would result in the dubious goals committee stealing his match ball, sealing the victory.

Three points for the Champions but encouragement for the carnivores.

A Metfone C-League season preview: Six Burning Questions

With the new 2016 Metfone Cambodian League kicking off this evening with the champions Phnom Penh Crown hosting the Japanese-seasoned Cambodian Tiger here are, in the flavour of the moment listicle-style, six burning questions for the upcoming season.

Will National Team ‘success’ help development of Cambodian players?

Success is, of course, relative but the participation in a competitive World Cup qualifying group (albeit with a record of seven losses out of seven; 21 goals conceded one scored) can only have benefited and generated valuable experience for key players. A narrow, perhaps unlucky, defeat against Afghanistan through a 6-0 home drumming in a deluge versus Syria to a couple of highly commendable performances in Singapore (2-1 defeat) and then at the Olympic Stadium versus Japan (2-0 defeat).

Shinji Kagawa, Leicester City’s Premier League title chasing striker Shinji Okazaki, and Keisuke Honda sharing a pitch with Keo Sokpheng, Khoun Laboravy, and Chinn Chhouen et al. and the Khmer not humiliated. Hopefully a solid step in building the capacity, technique, skill, and belief of the Cambodian players.

How many matches will be fixed?

Credit to Phnom Penh Crown for trying to be professional in circumstances that make tennis, and the ITF look, like a paradigm of cleanliness and virtue. Cambodia is ranked 150th globally by Transparency International and football clearly does not operate in a vacuum.

Match-fixing and club disharmony saw seven Crown players – including Sos Suhana the scorer of the only Cambodian goal in World Cup Qualifying – dismissed. Four were immediately signed by rivals Naga World. At the end of last season two teams folded and left the league a third, CMAC United, only saved by an injection of East Asian cash; with the gap between the best and the rest wide conditions are in place for further corruption.

CV11 – how good can he be and will he stay?

Player of the year. Player of the Mekong Club Championship. 37 league goals last year in a 22 game season.

He may be surprisingly underused by Lee Tae-Hoon and the National Team but Chan Vathanaka is the most exciting and dynamic Cambodian footballer and the leading star in the team that topped the league last season and mixed with the best of Mekong football.

In the close season there were rumours of a possible move to Japan – could CV11 be a successful local export from the Metfone Cambodian League to bigger and better things ? Lets enjoy his presence when he is still here.

Will Kelechi and Booysen be as good as the double Bs?

Last season George Bisan and Shane Booysen scored 48 goals, 63% of Phnom Penh Crown’s total, forming the league’s most deadly striking duo. In the close season the Nigerian Bisan signed for Than Quảng Ninh F.C. of Vietnamese League One. Crown replaced him with compatriot George Kelechi from Asia Euro Utd – a scorer of 23 goals last season. Phnom Penh Crown management will be hoping, amidst the major fluxes in coaching staff, that this African duo is as effective as the double B partnership. 

How many points with Phnom Penh Crown and Boeung Ket Angkor drop?

Barcelona and Real Madrid. Celtic and Rangers. A few leagues have a duoply of power.

Last season Phnom Penh Crown and Boeung Ket Angkor dominated the regular season league in emphatic style picking up 82% of league points available to them. Their goal difference was +53 and +55 respectively and the two teams, on average, won every match 3.5 to 1.1.

This season, with the play-off structure abandoned and a simple regular league season, are the opposition stronger or will these two teams run away with one of the most two-sided leagues in the world?

On paper Boeung Ket Angkor look weaker than last season, to date only three foreign players registered, whilst will internal issues (the new manager being replaced by the old manager ) impact Phnom Penh Crown? I would predict that the gap between these two teams, and potentially stronger Naga and National Defence, may be less than last season.

An influential East Asia Element?

As in many things in the Kingdom of Wonder the footprint of Japan and Korea is heavy on the countries football. One team – Cambodia Tiger – as Japanese as they come complete with mental half-time chorography whilst CMAC United were apparently sufficiently saved by Japanese investment to enter this season’s league championship.

On the pitch an equally East Asian element – at least 20 Japanese or Korean players registered as overseas professionals across the 10 C-League teams.  Only Phnom Penh Crown, for whom ironically it was South Korean Baek Yong-Son who scored the penalty that won last season’s title, without an East Asian player.

Intriguingly two North Koreans will further cement the special relationship with a country even more dismally rated by Transparency International than Cambodia. Kim Kyong-Hon and Choe Myong Ho, the latter apparently ‘the North Korean Ronaldo’, have signed for National Defence Ministry.

League Table Prediction

1.     Phnom Penh Crown (last season 2^nd but Champions via Play-off)

2.     Boeung Ket Angkor (1^st)

3.     Naga World (3^rd)

4.     National Defence Ministry (5^th)

5.     Svay Rieng (6^th)

6.     National Police (7^th)

7.     Cambodian Tiger (3^rd)

8.     Asia Europe Utd (10^th)

9.     Western Phnom Penh (11^th)

10. CMAC United (9^th)

A score draw at the Cambodian "Charity Shield"

6 Feb 2016
Phnom Penh Crown 1  - Boeung Ket Angkor 1, RSN Stadium

A pre-season friendly between the two best sides in the Metfone Cambodian League. A Charity Shield in all but name particularly given gate receipts, donations into a Perspex box, to the laudable, if any times eccentric, work of the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospitals. In a league where teams are sponsored by dodgy casinos and amongst the regions most environmentally destructive resource any charity appreciated.

The expected grand showdown between Phnom Penh Crown and Boeung Ket Angkor in last season’s championship play-off did not materialise – the latter perhaps distracted by their fantastic run in the Mekong Cup including upsetting the champions from Vietnam.

However this was shadow-boxing. The big names – Booysen, CV11 – absent; experimental players, including a creditable seven from the Phnom Penh Crown academy, and inexact tactics.

Phnom Penh Crown the better side in a goalless first half. Exploring the flanks, with the tiny Seut Baraing down the left particularly busy, and getting crosses in. But the quality of the final ball lacking and, on the rare occasions the attacks were penetrative, the excellent Sou Yaty, the best goalkeeper in Cambodia, keeping the home side out.

Crown took the lead early in the second half the busy George Kelechi, a new signing from Asia Europe United, finishing superbly after a nice pass from another new-boy - a rare forward exertion from French defender Anthony Aymard. Nigerian Kelechi, 23 goals (a stunning 64% of his former teams strikes) last season looked tidy but has big shoes to fill following compatriot George Bisan’s departure to the V-League.

However Boeung Ket Angkor struck back: Oum Kumpheak's shot, from a nice pass by Paul Omogba, only a few letters away from a star, taking an unlucky deflection off Kok Boris and beating the hapless Keo Soksela.

Two weeks till the season begins. Crown will take more from this result and surely preseason favourites to claim the title.

Kingdom of Wonder vs the Thunder Dragons.

Cambodia 2 Bhutan 0
Olympic Stadium 21-8-2015

Bhutan’s alternative to GDP is Gross National Happiness, the country has more than 70% forest cover, and over 100 tigers. They even believe in Yeti's. Cambodia have Hun Sen.

However under the lights of the Olympic Stadium Gross National Happiness was no match for the Angkor Warriors. 

Although Bhutan often looked, comfortably, the most technically competent of the teams - FIFA ranking 164 vs 180 -   Cambodia dominated and created chance after chance. However poor decision-making, nerves, and at time comical finishing all let the Khmer down in the penalty area. Whilst, based on chances, the final score could have been 4 or 5 nil Bhutan were fast and you felt a counter-attacking goal was never far away. That one did not come was a credit to Cambodia and also the voluble and large crowd; less than in the World Cup Qualifiers earlier but a far thing from the echoing emptiness of youth football or even the Metfone C League.

Cambodia played with a 5-3-2 with wing-backs Chiin Chouen (National Defence) and Rous Samoeun (Boueng Ket) providing much of the attacking impetus. The 3 centre-backs were less involved and when Bhutan broke forward looked a little shaky. 

The goals came - one in each half - courtesy of Rous Samoeun and number 14, who showed touches of pace and flair particularly in the second half, Keo Sokpheng (PP Crown). Chances continued coming for Cambodia in the second half - a recurring sight heads-in-hands on the field and in the stands. 

Next up for the Khmer a daunting trip to Saitama to face Japan  - keeping the score to single figures could be a result.

A League of Goals: how many goals in the C League

An analysis of C League goal-scoring

Football is a game of goals but the rarity of goals - the transformative event in a match - is one of the beauties of football. In no other major sport is scoring some rare.

In the worlds top leagues rates of goal-scoring are remarkably consistent - the mean number of goals per match is about 2.5 with around 50% of games having 2 or fewer strikes. The table below shows this information from the top five European leagues last season.

	Goals  Per Match	>2.5 goals	>3.5 goals
EPL	2.57	48%	26%
Italy	2.69	51%	29%
Spain	2.66	48%	27%
France	2.49	45%	24%
Germany	2.75	51%	32%

In ASEAN leagues, as the quality of football declines, the number of goals increases. The table below shows the data from this year from four ASEAN leagues including here in Cambodia.

	Goal Per Match	>2.5 goals	>3.5 goals
Thailand	2.57	46%	24%
Vietnam	2.95	56%	34%
Malaysia	3.1	55%	39%
Cambodia	4	70%	50%

Outside Thailand, which shows patterns very similar to the top European leagues, ASEAN is a region of goals and Cambodia a Kingdom of Goals. More than half the matches in this years Metfone C League have had 4 or more goals - twice the total from the goal-shy Ligue 1. 

The number of goals per team in the C League, with the league mean of 4 indicated and teams organised based on league position,  also shows an interesting pattern:

The teams at the top and bottom of the league have goal-filed games - presumably filling their boots (or getting thrashed) when they meet each other - as epitomised by Boeung Ket's 12-2 victory over bottom side Kirivong. Teams in the middle of the table have less goals in their games with National Police fans seeing just 2.6 goals per game.

The most common score-line this season so far has been a fairly conventional 2-1 (13% of matches) but it is the large number of abnormal score-lines 3-3 or above that causes the C League goal-skew. Eleven games - 14% of matches so far this season -  have had 7 or more goals compared to just 6 (1.6%) in the 2014/2015 English Premier League. In addition to the 12-2 mentioned above we have had a 9-5, a 6-4, 5-3 and more whilst only 4 matches (5%) have finished goal-less.

As, and when, the quality of the C League improves and the gap between teams at the top and teams at the bottom narrows it is likely that the number of goals per game will decrease. For the moment, however, if goals are your thing and matches more resembling basketball games than Catenaccio excite the Cambodian league has something for you,

Goalless at the Western Stadium: Cambodia Tiger 0 - PP Crown 0

Cambodian Tiger 0 - Phnom Penh Crown 0

Western Stadium, 15-8-2015

As many goals at the Western Stadium as there are tigers in Cambodia as Cambodian Tiger forced Phnom Penh Crown to drop their 5th and 6th points of the season. Saturday three o'clock is a sacred time for British football fans and, as if in homage to the home of football, a kick-off at a similar time.

Again a sizeable crowd filling the single stand at Western Stadium. Crown fans to the right, Tiger to the left conducted by their Japanese style tiger-girls.  Crown dominated early on with Dani Kouch marauding down the left touch-line and the champions looking to get into space on the flanks; Shane Booysen and Sary Matnorotin switching between left and right touchlines.

However tiger were resilient and in Japanese Yasuyuki Yoshida they may have the best goal-keeper in the league. In the second half, as tiring legs allowed more space to be exploited by both teams, Yoshida made a couple of excellent saves whilst, in contrast to his opposite number, always looking in command of his penalty area. Crown keeper Yok Ary must be giving the substantial Crown coaching staff some jitters. A Grobbelaar-esque tendency to rush off his line - at least three times relying on sweeper-keeper headers.

Both teams had chances to seal the 3 points Privat Mbarga - a robust and short-tempered number 9 from Cameroon - a wonderful run down the left and a vicious shot just over the bar. Kihara Maskau, Tigers second Japanese starter, small but steely and creating space for this team mates. Tiger look like a team finding their feet and should make the end-of-season play-offs.  

CV11 and the Rubber Men: Western PP 5- Boeungket Angkor 9

1st August at the Western Stadium

Two-three step-overs and a nutmeg. The crowd roar and you tear down the left flank. No matter the possession comes to nothing. Half an hour later you have the match-ball; four goals in one game - all but one a tap-in from great work by your team-mates down the flanks. An incredible 23 goals from 10 games. Welcome to the life of Cambodia's best footballer: CV11 - Chan Vathanaka.

A slight figure, a little tall and gangly. Scruffy (stylish?) hair. He would not look out of place working for Cintri. But a football talent - fast, dynamic, skilful. Getting in the right place at the right time and leading his team to a win by a snooker score. Nine frames to Five.

They may, like many of the teams in the Metfone C League, be funded by a nefarious business but, on the pitch, the Rubber Men are a joy to watch. They average 4.5 goals scored per game and sit atop the league.

The second new shiny stadium for the C League. Western Stadium - a single stand to one side of the artificial pitch. Goals hemmed in by giant nets to prevent wayward shots disappearing into the building sites of a growing capital.

Despite being the home team there was little support for Western; the packed stand full of white and red Boeungket replica shirts. Screaming with delight when CV11 and the equally impressive Khuon Laboravy are on the ball. The best two Cambodians in the Cambodian league. Supported by, probably, the best African in the Cambodian league. Esoh Omogba  sporting a Ballotelli-esque mohican and far to strong and direct for the Western defenders - one goal and two assists for the Nigerian.

Western Phnom Penh have their moments. An attacking trio of the Ghanian Tijani Mohammad, Nigerian Matthew Osas and the C League's Charlie Adam look and play-a-like the Aussie Joshua Maiguire. Maguire sits deep, finding space and imploring - hands to his sides - for the ball. When obtained he tries to initiate attacks and find the roaming Africans.

As the black clouds gather heralding an impending Phnom Penh mega storm four goals and a missed penalty  - the second Boeungket goalkeeper Sou Yaty has saved this season - mark a frantic final 10 minutes. The crowd give up counting the score.