42. Green Shoots
This is a season of transition, but after predicting a long campaign of struggle, we have in flashes shown signs of being a really good football team. The addition of Gbayoro, the poor man's Sol Campbell has made our defence far more solid and we have played with a deep defensive line, which has meant that our defence has rarely been outpaced by runners in behind, except for those Miroslav Klose bug goals of which I can do nothing about. Pidor has shown he can be a replacement for Veasna on the wing, Noron has looked a threat up front and in goal, Having said that, halfway through the season and it’s pretty clear the league title is beyond us and mid-table mediocrity awaits us this season. Our aims for the rest of the campaign now are to try and win the Hun Sen Cup, finish as high in the league as we can and build for next season.
Hun Sen Cup Quarter Final Draw
So we were 'uddled around t’wireless
t’farnd oot oo we were playin’ in t’quarter farnals o’ ‘un Sen Cup and we was
none t’wiser cos it gev us three teams oo stil ‘ad t’catch up wi’ us in
tournament. Turns art it’ll be either University Life, Post Tel or Boeung Ket. Probly
Boeung Ket cos’ theyre best team like..
Translation: We listened to the radio to find out who we were playing in the Quarter Finals of The Hun Sen Cup, but we drew three teams, as they still had to play in the previous round. It will either be University Life, Post Tel or Boeung Ket, which is most likely to be the latter because they are the best team.
I miss my Yorkshire home!
Match 16 – EDC v Solitio Angkor
24/06/23
Our
opponents lie in 13th place and the young upstarts have failed to
impress this year. Amongst their ranks is ex- EDC midfeilder Ouch Udom and a last
remaining lost Brazilian Marcio Marques leading the line. New signings Som and
Kakada Sim make their debuts for EDC as we line up in a 4-4-2. Nhem is
preferred to the out of sorts Taboula up front after impressing in training.
Team: Som, Sambath Daravon, Gbayoro, Teat
Chandara, Kakada, Rattanak, Oudom, Nhem, Noron, Pidor
Match Action
We hit the ground running here and
surge forward, we mean business. A slick move sees Kakada Sim, with his first touch
in an EDC shirt spray the ball wide for Oudom. He plays it inside to Matty
Noron who exchanges passes with Rattanak before sliding in Oudom in behind on
the right edge of the area. His cross deflects to the onrushing Nhem who slots
home from 6 yards for the youngster’s first senior goal!
The Brazilian, Marques looks
dangerous up front and he almost equalises but scuffs his shot wide when
through on goal. A let off for EDC!
Noron nearly added a second on the
stroke of half time when he acrobatically volleys in a Rattanak cross just over the bar. 1-0 at
the break.
In the second half we looked the most
likely to get a second, but were only one random free-kick or Miroslav Klose
bug away from conceding an equaliser, which would pretty much sum up our
season. Noron scores but is flagged offside again, Oudom has an effort cleared
off the line. At the other end a Marques header needs a sharp save from Som,
who has looked solid on his debut in goal. Kakada’s clever reverse ball let in
Nhem, but the youngster could only find the legs of the keeper. The ref blows
for full time for a much needed win.
Final Score- EDC 1-0 Solitio Angkor
Nhem 3
Hun Sen Cup Quarter Final Opponents
As predicted we will take on Boeung Ket in the Quarter Finals of the Hun Sen Cup after they beat the students of University Life 2-1. I’m sure the students will have taken this defeat as a life lesson.. The tie will be played on Tuesday 1st August 2023 and is highlighted in my calendar.
Match 17: Chllam Samuth v EDC
So it’s back round to the start of the fixtures with a trip to Chhlam Samuth, We caned them 4-1 on the opening day with a Matty Noron hat-trick, which promised so much for the season ahead. Now half a season on and we find ourselves marooned in 6th, a full 15 points off the top of the table and in a tightly grouped pack in mid table. We just have to finish as high as we possibly can. Samuth are marooned in 12th, the top relegation place and have a familiar face up front, Keo Udom who has scored 6 goals in 9 appearances as a lone striker (shows how much I know) We know how dangerous he can be. I go in with a 4-3-2-1. Samnang replaces the unlucky Nhem in midfield to make up a three, with Noron as the lone striker.
Match Action
Nen Borey
tells me that Keo Udom is putting a show on here. He gets behind the defence
forcing a good one on one save from Som. Then we score. The ball is worked
inside from Oudom on the right and it lands at the feet of old Cobra Kai
himself, Chea Samnang whose in his dojo 25 yards away from goal. He puts a fierce drop kick on the ball and it nearly
breaks the back of the net. 1-0.
I organise
the defence so Daravon is tightly marking my former charge and it seems to work.
Samnang releases another thunderbolt which is tipped over the crossbar. Samnang
finds Noron who blasts it home but is ruled out for offside.
Then, from a
random free kick, Ravy Sob heads home the equaliser off the underside of the
bar. We respond well. Oudom crossed in low and Noron slides just wide. The same
player intercepts the ball and his angled shot is tipped wide by the keeper.
Chea Samnang is having a stormer. He receives the ball from a Noron free-kick on the edge of the area and provides another contender for the C-League goal of the season as it blasts into the top bins from the corner of the penalty area. Amazing stuff! 2-1 EDC at the break.
In the
second half we couldn’t get going although Noron had another goal chalked off
for having his big toe offside. Keo Udom has been a constant thorn with his
tireless running into channels, something I remember all too well. One such run
resulted in him cutting into the area from the bye line and was felled by
Daravon. Penalty! Up steps Rithy Ouk who sends Som the wrong way. It’s Desmond.
At the other
end a ball into the box from In Sambath saw Noron try to get on the end of it.
He was tripped as he tried to do so. Penalty EDC! Up steps man of the moment
Chea Samnang who buries it into the
corner for his hat-trick and a 3-2 lead to EDC.
Then Udom
goes after the ball on yet another greyhound like run and he keels over. This
time he’s done his calf in and is stretchered off. I hope he is OK, but a
little part of me is also delighted..
After the
removal of their best player they offered little threat and we even had a
couple of chances to extend our lead near the end. A good win, which was harder
than it should really of been.
Final Score: Chllam Samuth 2-3 EDC
Sob, Ouk Samnang (3)
Match 18: EDC v Nagaworld
It’s the big
one folks! The big, nasty casino come to our little corner of Phnom Penh and
revenge is very much on our minds. We got humped 6-1 by them earlier in the
season, but I am a man with a plan. I go with a 4-3-2-1, but I keep Rattanak
and Samnang, two attack minded midfielders in to occupy their two holding
players, with Kakada behind in front of a solid back four. Unfortunately Daravon is
suspended so Khemarin once more steps in. Ratana fills the right back berth
with Teat Chanadara who has impressed me this season is retained at left back.
Noron leads the line, with Sos Suhana and Tuy Oudom occupying the flanks…
News just
in.. Our reserves have been humped 7-2 by Nagaworld’s reserves.. This doesn’t
bode well..
Oh well, we
have nothing to lose I will take the game to them and see what happens. Fingers
crossed!
Team: Som, Ratana, Teat Chandara,
Khemarin, Gbayoro, Kakada, Samnang, Rattanak, Suhana, Oudom, Noron
Match Action
Nagaworld start the stronger and an early attack forces a good
save from Som. We look OK and start to knock the ball around in midfield as the
creative forces combine to cause problems in the Nagaworld defence. One such
mazy dribble from Rattanak ends up with Noron missing a great chance when he
heads tamely into the keeper’s gloves from 6 yards out. We are up for this and
controlling the game, but without creating a great deal. 0-0 at the break.
An early second half breakaway results in Rattanak having a
pot shot at goal, but this is straight at the keeper. We are everywhere and
first to every ball, we need to make this count!
Rattanak, who is covering every blade of grass picks up the
ball and feeds Noron with his back to goal. He sprays a lovely ball out to
Suhana on the left hand side. Suhana checks inside before flighting the ball
into the path of the onrushing Noron who steers the ball on the volley first
time into the net! Yeeesss!! This was a goal of sheer beauty and no less than
what we deserved! 1-0 to the EDC!
The goal wakes up the big ugly casino and they exert a spell
of pressure. A quick attack sees their left winger force a good save from Som.
We look dangerous on the break though as Rattanak and Noron look a threat
running towards their goal.
Nagaworld won’t go away though. Sun Dara forces a good save
from Som and then from the resulting corner Ratana hacks the ball off the line.
At the other end Noron forces a flying save from their keeper after a
bullet-like shot heading straight into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Substitute Pidor, who has looked lively since he came on feeds
Noron, who runs into the box. His attempted finish was saved but the rebound falls to Sos Suhana on the angle who trickled the ball onto the post.
Nagaworld have run out of ideas. Our ability to retain
posession has frustrated the living daylights out of them and we have been
magnificient today from 1 to 11. We really deserve this win. The final whistle
goes and Rudd punches the air with delight. Nagaworld have been shocked at the
EDC stadium, which has de-railed their title challenge. As for us, our third
straight win and up the table we go to 5th, now 12 points off the
top. Could we have hit form just at the right time?
Final Score: EDC 1-0 Nagaworld
Noron
Comments
Post a Comment