Cambodia’s lone AFC Cup tournament club Phnom Penh Crown faces Central Coast Mariners FC from Australia in their ASEAN zone semi-final match next Tuesday.
Crown has lofty ambitions – it’s the first Cambodian team to advance to the semi-final stage of the AFC Cup.
The club is representing Cambodian football in the AFC Cup. The tournament is Asia’s second-ranked football tournament. Crown’s performance will reflect the development of Cambodian professional football on the international stage.
While other CPL clubs are taking a break from league competitions this weekend to celebrate Chinese New Year, Crown is on the go. The team departs Cambodia on Saturday evening for Sydney, arriving on Sunday morning in Australia.
Crown and Central Coast Mariners face off on Tuesday at 6pm Cambodian time at the Industree Group Stadium in Gosford, New South Wales. The match will be broadcast live by Cambodian television network, BTV Cambodia.
Both Crown and Central Coast Mariners have performed well in their respective leagues this season. Crown ranks second in the Cambodian Premier League (CPL), with 45 points. They lag five points behind CPL leader, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng.
Crown has won four and lost one of its previous five league matches. Central Coast Mariners also ranks second in the A-League, Australia’s premier football division. With 28 points they trail two points behind league leader, Wellington Phoenix.
The Australian team has not lost a match in their last five league games, winning four and drawing one.
Crown has already met Australian team Macarthur in the group stage of the AFC tournament. The Cambodian club surprised many by defeating Macarthur 3-0 in the first leg at the National Olympic Stadium. However, they later lost 5-0 in their second match-up with the Aussie team in Campbelltown Sports Stadium in Leumeah.
All Crown’s best player are available for Sunday’s match: Japanese striker Shimizu Shintaro – with seven goals for Crown in the AFC Cup this year, Colombian striker Rafael Nieto, Japanese defender Takaki Ose, midfielder Yudai Ogawa, and crucial right back Phach Socheavila. The players are all injury-free and will undoubtedly play a big part in the match.
“This is a historical moment for Cambodia. At the start, no one gave us a chance to reach the next stage,” said Oleg Starynskyi, Phnom Penh Crown head coach.
Crown encourages all Cambodian fans to rally in support, especially as the team represents the sport for the entire nation.
The club has thrived as Cambodia’s sole participant in the AFC Cup. It lost only two games in the group round, opening the door to the AFC Cup ASEAN zone semi-final stage.
Crown defeated Lao champions Young Elephants 3-0 in the AFC primary qualification match on August 16 at Smart RSN Stadium in Phnom Penh. The win placed them in the group round.
