CPL Week 1 Round Up: Boeung Ket, Visakha in Flying Start
Photo from Boeung Ket
- By Ken Gadaffi
- March 7, 2022 11:19 AM
PHNOM PENH--2022 Cambodia Premier League’s first season is underway. Here’s the round up:
Boeung Ket 3-1 Naga World
Boueng Ket FC kicked started their 2022 campaign with flying colors after topping Nagaworld FC 3-1 at the Cambodia Airways Stadium in Phnom Penh on Saturday.
Da Cruz Guardlano Euel opened the scoring for Nagaworld in the 13th minute from the spot but that is as far the hotel-backed team could go before Cambodian striker Mat Noron leveled the scores, also from the penalty spot, in the 28th minute.
Both sides went into the break level at 1-1. On return from the interval, Boueng Ket stepped up a gear and took the game to NagaWorld. Mat Noron increased the tally with his second goal of the afternoon in the 68th minute and Sieng Chanthea put the icing on the cake to make it 3-1 for the home side in the 90th minute.
Angkor Tiger 1-3 Visakha FC
Visakha FC beat Angkor Tiger 3-1 in their backyard at the SRU Stadium in Siem Reap on Saturday.
South Korean striker Lee Jaegun gave Visakha FC the lead late in the first half when he netted a goal in the 39th minute.
Cambodian midfielder Chrerng Polroth doubled the lead just on the dot of half time as Visakha FC went 2-0 into the break.
Angkor Tiger FC fought back immediately after the start of the second half.
Cambodian midfielder Chan Nareak evaded defenders to score against keeper Keo Soksela.
The goal inspired Angkor Tiger FC and they look like leveling up, but the Visakha FC backline held firm and kept the Tigers at bay for most of the second half.
A goal by Cambodian superstar Keo Sokpheng in the 54th minute put the game out of reach for Angkor Tiger FC. Sokpheng was named Man of the Match at the end of the game.
The win was a good start for new Visakha FC coach Lee Tae-hoon after his side lost 2-1 to reigning champions Phnom Penh Crown in the Cambodia Super Cup on Tuesday. The South Korean coach, who managed the Cambodian national football team from 2010 to 2012, took over from interim coach Akeeb Tunji Ayoyinka.
Akeeb, who is from Nigeria, took over the head coaching duties last season after the abrupt departure of then-Visakha FC coach Colum Curtis.
Tiffy Army 0-0 Phnom Penh Crown
The third match that day between defending champions Phnom Penh Crown FC and Tiffy Army FC ended in a scoreless draw. It was not a good start the champions who few days earlier won the Cambodian Super cup after a 2-1 win over Hun Sen Cup Champions Visakha as they met a resilient Tiffy Army side.
The CPL 1’s next match will be between Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC and Kirivong Sok Sen Chey FC on Tuesday. The match, at the Svay Rieng Stadium, will start at 6:30pm.
Only eight clubs are competing in this season’s CPL 1, with another 12 teams in CPL 2, which kicked off on Sunday.
