Visakha FC has prepared a tribute to the late Tes Sambath at Prince Stadium. Visakha FC
Boeng Ket FC are hoping for a strong performance at the National Olympic Stadium tonight at 7pm, as they host the first leg of the semi-finals of the 18th Samdech Hun Sen Cup 2025, facing off against defending champions Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng. However, Visakha FC has requested a postponement of their scheduled match against Phnom Penh Crown in order to mourn the death of defender Tes Sambath, who passed away in an April 20 traffic accident.
This semi-final rematch is a crucial opportunity for Boeng Ket to avenge their previous loss to Svay Rieng in the same stage of the 2024 tournament. Last year, Svay Rieng eliminated Boeng Ket with a 4–3 aggregate win — winning the first leg 3–1 at Boeng Ket’s home ground, although Boeng Ket were slightly consoled with a 2-1 victory in the second leg.
Reflecting on that match, Boeng Ket’s head coach Conor Nestor — who was appointed in October last year — affirmed his commitment to better preparing the team and not allowing Svay Rieng the space or gaps they previously exploited.
“We’ll be fully prepared for our next meeting with Svay Rieng,” said Nestor, following Boeng Ket’s quarter-final victory over ISI Dangkor Senchey, which they won with two clean sheets: 2–0 and 1–0.
The Irish coach has urged his squad to remain focused in order to secure victory, expressing his ambition to rewrite the club’s history by leading Boeng Ket to the final of the cup.
A former head coach of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng himself, Conor noted: “In 2025, many people assume strong teams always beat weaker ones, but the truth is, football doesn’t always go as expected — strong teams can lose to lower-ranked ones just the same.”
Boeung Ket (in white) was defeated 1-0 by Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng at the National Olympic Stadium on April 20. Svay Rieng FC
Nonetheless, in an April 20 Cambodian Premier League (CPL) match, Boeng Ket suffered a narrow 1–0 loss to Svay Rieng. Svay Rieng remains focused on defeating Boeng Ket once more time, with the goal of repeating their 2024 success by clinching both the CPL and the Samdech Hun Sen Cup titles.
Meanwhile, the other semi-final first leg between hosts Phnom Penh Crown and Visakha — initially scheduled for Wednesday, April 23 — has been postponed to April 30. Visakha requested the delay to mourn their standout defender Sambath, who recently passed away.
“With profound sadness and heartbreak over the passing of our footballer Tes Sambath on April 20, 2025, the club’s management, coaching staff, players, and all members will enter a period of mourning. Therefore, we have requested to postpone the match between Phnom Penh Crown and Visakha from April 23 to April 30,” said an April 22 statement from the club.
Visakha has prepared a memorial site at Prince Stadium for those who wish to lay flowers and pay their respects to the late Sambath, a former member of Cambodia’s national team. The club’s staff will be on-site to assist mourners.
