Phnom Penh Crown’s Prak Thiva tries to bicycle kick during a math between Crown and Kirivong last season. PHNOM PENH CROWN
Undefeated Preah Khan Svay Rieng will welcome NagaWorld to Svay Rieng Stadium this Saturday, with the top-of-the-table clash promising to be a mouthwatering spectacle, as both sides attempt to establish themselves as the team to beat.
Meanwhile, defending league champions Phnom Penh Crown will hunt for their first win of the season after recording none at all from their first four matches.
Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng won all four of their opening matches, to sit atop the league with 12 points. They beat Kirivong Sok Sen Chey, Phnom Penh Crown, Boeung Ket, and Tiffy Army, with their strong performances showing why the Southeast province based club deserve the title of favourites at this stage of the competition.
However, under the leadership of new coach Khim Borey, NagaWorld have also performed well in the league so far. Although they lost 3-1 to Boeung Ket on the opening day, they salvaged wins over Visakha and Tiffy Army 1-0 before beating Kirivong Sok Sen Chey 2-1 last weekend. These winning results gave NagaWorld 9 points, placing them in second on the league table, just 3 points adrift of Svay Rieng.
NagaWorld is now the only team with a chance of toppling Svay Rieng from it’s lofty perch atop the table; barring a miracle, the other six teams have fallen too far behind to catch them at this stage of the season.
Svay Rieng captain Seuy Visal admitted that he expects the match with NagaWorld to be one of the toughest of the season, and that his team could not afford to take them lightly.
Defender Visal told The Post: “I think Saturday’s match will be an excellent game because Naga are a strong well organised team. They are in second place on the table, and have good players and a talented coaching staff. We cannot afford to overlook this team.”
“We will need to play to our strengths and do our best to find a positive result for the club. We are always trying to develop from game to game – with the ultimate goal being to deliver the perfect performance our coach wants. We are determined to bring our ‘A’ game against this rising Naga team,” the Cambodia national added.
Visakha, currently in third place with 7 points, and fourth place sitters Boeung Ket, on 6, would love nothing more than for the top-of-the-table clash to end in a draw. This would create a mathematical shot at a run to the title for either club – depending on this weekend’s match, when the two meet at Visakha’s home ground.
Defending champions Phnom Penh Crown, repeatedly frustrated with disappointing results, are expected to be under the spotlight as they open the gates at Smart AS Stadium to Kirivong Sok Sen Chey.
In their past four matches, Phnom Penh Crown earned only 2 points – with losses to Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng and Angkor Tiger, but draws with Tiffy Army and Visakha.
Kirivong are having an even greater shocker of a season with three losses and just one draw. Based on the level of play of both teams, Crown has to be in with a chance to claim their first 3 point result of the season.
