18. High Voltage Football

My little fancied team. Electricitié Du Cambodge have lit up the C-League with some impressive results and performances, as we find ourselves five points clear at the top of the C-League, halfway through the season. Can we continue our amazing start to the season, starting with a home game against familiar foes, Vishaka?

Suon Makara Announces Retirement

I start with some sad news. My versatile D/MC, Suon Makara has announced he will not be renewing his contract and will seek to wind down his career. Makara put in some steady performances during our survival season last year, but has been on the fringes this term, apart from a few appearances in the Prime Minister’s Cup. We wish him all the best in his future career. His professionalism in the squad will be missed.

Match 17 EDC v Vishaka 04/07/21

Vishaka are familiar foes and yes the North Koreans are still going strong. They lie in 7^th place, but this belies their ability. Mihalevic is still up front and we will have to watch he doesn’t finally come good against EDC. I’m forced into a change at the back and Sophina will come in for the suspended Khemarin. Rottanak replaces Saray on the bench after he picked up a knock in training. Otherwise it is the same team who started against Phnom Penh Crown.

Team: Channou, Ratana, Daravon, Sophina, Sophahon, O.Udom, Etim, Veasna, Sung Rot, Fasal, Chanraksmey

EDC 3-2 Vishaka

Chanraksmey 7,22 /// Vannak 27, Mihaljevic 74

Daravon 83

Three big points here. We are a different animal this season and can win games from almost anywhere. Vishaka and the men from Pyongyang were always a threat with their silky passing and running, but it was us who stormed into a 2-0 lead, Veasna’s throw in on the right to Sung Rot who beautifully turned his man before crossing from the byline onto Chanraksmy’s head who found the top corner. Then, from a throw in on the left Ratana’s deep cross found Chanraksmy’s head who nodded it low into the bottom corner. Fantastic!

Vishaka were much improved from the opening day of the season and out of nowhere, Choe Myong Ho spread a lovely ball to Daravon their onrushing full back before he squared it for Om Vannak on the edge of the area who fired in a blistering shot which beat Um Channou at his near post.

Things were about even as the half time whistle blew. Vishaka were not going away in this one, despite us dominating from long periods and with Fasal and Chanraksmey forcing fine saves from their keeper.

Etim gave the ball away. Chandara played a hopeful ball forward to Mihaleljevic in the left channel. There seemed to be little threat until the Croatian dinked the ball over Channou from a very tight angle, It was a well taken goal, but a kick in the teeth in a game we could have been 4-1 ahead.

It was tit for tat until EDC won a free kick, which Veasna floated to the back post where defender Maul Daravon up from the back powered a header into the top corner 3-2 to become an unlikely hero! We saw the game out with no major incident and breathed a huge sigh of relief! Seven points clear now, this is getting Keegan esque….

Match 18 – Rithy Sen v EDC 10/07/21

Despite being in 10^th place, Rithy Sen have a good team and I expect them to give us a good game. We are a well oiled machine though these days and hope we can maintain our great form and extend our lead at the top of the table, I will start with a 4-2-3-1 with Khemarin back from suspension and Channerourn in contention too. My hunch is to go with the XI who have had three straight wins.

Team: 4-2-3-1 Channou, Ratana, Daravon, Khemarin, Sophahon, Etim, O.Udom, Sung Rot, Veasna, Fasal, Chanraksmey

  Rithy Sen 1-2 EDC

  Piphop 67  /////     Veasna 57, Daravon 85

As an old Scottish commentator would have said. “When your are not playing well and ya have ta Grrind out a result... well that’s what EDC have done today!” 

It bodes well if we can not play that well but still come away with three points. Rithy Sen had the better of the first half and twice Daravon and Khemarin had to chase back and make last ditch tackles to save the day. Meanwhile at the other end we kept the ball well but created little. 0-0 at half time.

Second half I changed to a 4-4-2 in order to try and open the game up. K. Udom and Chanraksmey though did not have their shooting boots on. The deadlock however was broken when Fasal skipped past his full back on the right wing before playing a far post cross to Veasna whose first time shot hit the defender before falling kindly back to the winger who volleyed it superbly into the corner. Rithy Sen responded and soon after Ouk Dara advanced down the left from a throw in and crossed perfectly for the dangerous Piphop to head in the equaliser.

Then from their corner, the ball was cleared to Fasal who sprinted down the right, but was upended by Rous Sophana who was promptly sent off for a professional foul. Veasna floated in the resulting free kick, Daravon headed towards goal, the keeper could only parry it into the path of the central defender who lashed home the rebound for his second winning goal in two games. Unbelievable Jeff!

Match 19- EDC v Asia Euro 

United 17/07/21

By this season’s standards this should be an easy three points against 11^th place Asia Euro United. I was also buoyed by the news that their star Nigerian striker, Samuel Ajayi had, just two day before the match signed for a club back in his homeland. Ajayi tore us apart late last season in a 4-2 defeat and so I am glad we will not have to face him. We are forced into 3 changes due to injury and suspension, with Channerourn replacing the suspended Ratana at right back, Sophina steps in for the suspended Daravon and Keo Udom replaces the injured Sung Rot and will partner Chanraksmey up front in a 4-2-4 formation. 

Team: Um Channou, Chameroun, Khemarin, Sophana, Sophohon. Etim, Udom, Fasal, Veasna, Keo Udom, Chanraksmey

EDC 2-1 Asia Euro United

K.Udom 45   /////     Sambath 94

Veasna 60

This was a great win. In the first half it was even Steven with the visitors having the better of the chances and Channou pulling off some great saves. However, once again we kept our cool and took the lead, right on the stroke of half time. Veasna stormed down the right, before delivering the perfect cross for Keo Udom to nod home with a diving header to give us a 1-0 interval lead. I told them there was much room for improvement at half time and the message seemed to get through. We dominated the second half and AEU barely got out of their own half. They missed that cutting edge that Ajayi had once given them.

We were so dominant in the second half we were even intercepting their throw-ins. When Fasal did just that on the left wing he squared it to Veasna who smacked it into the top corner with an unstoppable shot. Simply electrifying! It was then just a matter of how many. Veasna was having a brilliant game and tormented his full back all afternoon. Chanraksmey was very quiet and was substituted for Rotha. I also gave a short debut to a young right back, Mom Veasna.

Right at the end, Asia Euro won a random free kick and Samabath rose to beat Channou who was caught in no man’s land to cause only a moment of concern. Five straight wins and eight points clear now.. Dare I dream?

Match 20 EDC v Khemera Keila 

24/07/21

Khemera had a great start to the season and found themselves up in the top 4 and even turned us over 3-2 at their place. Since then they have faded off somewhat and lie in 8^th place. They are still dangerous and posess pace and finishing throughout their forward line. Daravon and Sung Rot come back in after suspension and injury respectively in a 4-4-2 which has served us well so far this season.

Team: Channou, Channerourn, Daravon, Khemarin, Ratana, Etim, Sung Rot, Veasna, Fasal, K.Udom, Chanraksmey

EDC 6 -2 Khemera Keila

K.Udom 18               //////  Sokey 72, Suhana 90

Chanraksmey 19,43

Sung Rot 25

Fasal 61

Rotha 64

We were simply irresistible today, just on a different planet to our opponents. Sung Rot was outstanding in the AMC role, committing defenders with his silky running. Chanraksmey came back to form after a couple of quiet games, Fasal had his best game in an EDC shirt and Etim is really finding his feet as our ball winning midfielder.

For our first goal he performed his ball winning role to perfection as he tackled their midfielder before slipping a lovely through ball to Keo Udom who did the rest. Then, after some neat passing between Channeoroun, Sung Rot and Veasna, resulted in the right winger playing a pinpoint through ball for Chanraksmey to run onto. He gained half a yard on the defender before finding the bottom corner with an accurate finish from a very tight angle.

Goal number three came when Khemarin won a 50-50 challenge which sent the ball up to Keo Udom who then laid it off to Chanraksmey who hit a stunning first time shot which sizzled into the bottom corner for his 17^th goal of the season. 3-0 before half time!

Sung Rot exchanged passes with Ratana before storming to the edge of the box and unleashing a curling shot which flew into the bottom corner

From Channerourn’s throw in substitute Tum Saray squared the ball for Math Fasal, whose shot was fumbled by the keeper and crossed the line. 5-0

Sub Rotha skipped past his man into the box, before squaring to Fasal whose shot was parried by the keeper into the path of the onrushing Rotha who did the honours, 6-0. At 6-0 we switched off and looked rather complacent which rather disappointed me and it allowed them to get two consolation goals.

At 6-0 up, cries of Jonny Rudd’s Electric Army’ rang around Prey Veng.

From a long goal kick, Suhana found Sonkey who fired past Um Channou 6-1

Vichet fed their right winger Suhana who scored their second consolation. Not happy with the ending as we looked complacent.

A great win against Khemara who looked a shadow of the team which beat us 3-2 earlier in the season. Six wins in a row and amazingly with that result we have avoided relegation from the C-League because I had to pay a £60 bonus to my Assistant Manager, Nen Borey. Spend it wisely pal!

Eight points clear with a game in hand, EDC are walking the C-League... The only thing that can stop them now are complacency and mind games.. Surely this cannot happen, but as Jimmy Greaves used to say.. "It's a funny old game"

Read the next part, From a 1 horse race to a 5 horse race