Kirivong defender attempts to challenge Rafael Andres Nieto Rondon, who scored three goals to help Phnom Penh Crown win a 6-0 victory. Phnom Penh Crown
Phnom Penh Crown has climbed to the top of the Cambodian Premier League (CPL) standings after securing a win against Kirivong Sok Sen Chey. Their ascension comes on the heels of Svay Rieng’s first defeat of the season, at the hands of Visakha.
Despite the loss, Svay Rieng coach Pep Munoz remained composed and gracious. He praised Visakha for their historic victory and expressed pride in his team's performance.
“Today is a historic day for Visakha, as they defeated the reigning champions. We played well, and if we had to lose a game, it should be like this because we performed admirably. They had the chance to organise themselves and score a goal. Regarding our performance, I told the players I am proud of the team and of how we played against Visakha,” he said.
The week-four CPL match was a narrow 1-0 defeat to Visakha at the Prince Stadium. The solitary goal was scored by Visakha’s captain, Kan Moth, in the 3rd minute of extra time. The match, featuring two top teams, was a tactical affair with minimal aggressive play, which was sometimes a disappointing spectacle for fans.
Despite this perception, Visakha's new head coach, Jurgis Kalns, expressed great satisfaction with the victory. Despite his club’s mixed results in their previous three matches – one win and two losses – Kalns considered the three points from this game a significant achievement, which will boost the team’s performance in future matches.
Visakha defender Kan Mo tries to block Gabriel Silva Costa as Visakha beat Svay Rieng 1-0 on Saturday. CPL
“We wanted to pull Svay Rieng out of their comfort zone. Every team lets them play a lot, and our job was to make sure they didn’t play comfortably. I think we did well,” he said, following the match.
Kalns encouraged other teams in the league to challenge strong teams like Svay Rieng without fear.
“All teams in the league should not hesitate to take them on. There should be no gap between teams and the champions. I hope this win will help our league grow and become more competitive,” he added.
Following their first defeat, Svay Rieng’s closest competitors Phnom Penh Crown thrashed Kirivong Sok Sen Chey 6-0 in their Sunday match. Midfielder Rafael Andres Nieto Rondon scored three goals, forward Nnamdi Ofufu Ibeh netted twice and Smith Bradie Christian added one more.
The three points from the victory propelled Crown to the top of the table with 12 points from four matches. Svay Rieng dropped into second place.
Svay Rieng goalkeeper Virak Dara leaps into the air to contest a kick from striker Ramon de Andrade Souza. PCL
Meanwhile, Nagaworld and Angkor Tiger also demonstrated strong performances, remaining unbeaten.
Nagaworld defeated BBU FC 3-1 at the National Stadium on Saturday, while Angkor Tiger overcame ISI Dangkor Sen Chey 2-0 on Sunday.
The results position Nagaworld and Angkor Tiger in third and fourth place, respectively, both with 9 points from three wins. Visakha and ISI Dangkor Sen Chey are fifth and sixth with 6 points each, while BBU FC stands seventh with 3 points from one win and two losses.
In other league developments, the Army Football Club secured their first win of the season with a 3-2 victory over provincial side Lyve Province, at home. They now have 3 points after three consecutive losses. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior and Lyve Province each have 1 point, but are still ahead of Kirivong Sok Sen Chey, who remain winless after four matches.
