Phnom Penh Crown has become the only team in the Cambodian Premier League to score five consecutive victories in the 2024-2025 season.
The record was earned on the back of their 6-2 defeat of a strong Nagaworld team on Sunday, marking a significant win for Crown. Meanwhile, Angkor Tiger FC's undefeated streak was shattered by Visakha, who claimed victory in a tight match.
Before the clash at the Kampong Speu Stadium, both Crown’s Ukrainian head coach Oleg Starynskyi and standout Colombian player Andres Nieto acknowledged that Nagaworld's strong side would provide challenging competition for their team in their pursuit of the three points awarded for a win.
Despite their trepidation, a mistake by Nagaworld goalkeeper Ret Li Heng allowed Crown's Gayoso Javier Augustine to score the first goal just three minutes into the match. However, Nagaworld's Yusuke Minagawa equalised in the 11th minute with a long-range shot.
Crown's Gayoso quickly responded, scoring again to make it 2-1. An own goal by defender Phat Sokha in the 37th minute and another goal from Brak Thiva in the 65th minute extended Crown's lead to 4-1.
Nagaworld’s Minagawa managed to score a second goal in the 85th minute, but it wasn't enough to change the outcome.
In stoppage time, Jelle Joost Goselink added two more goals for Crown, with the match wrapping up at 6-2. This victory not only secured three points but also propelled Phnom Penh Crown to the top of the table with 15 points.
Following the game, Starynskyi reflected on the difficulty of securing the three points against Nagaworld. He emphasised that despite the final score, it was a challenging match. He praised his players for their commitment and adaptability during tense moments, particularly in seizing scoring opportunities when they arose.
Meanwhile, Angkor Tiger, who had won their previous four matches, were thwarted in their efforts to claim their first ever fifth win on-the-trot, suffering their first defeat of the season against Visakha in a 2-1 loss. The result pushed them down to fourth place in the league standings, with 12 points.