Svay Rieng celebrate their 2-0 victory over Phnom Penh Crown, in Saturday night’s top-of-the-table clash. Svay Rieng
Phnom Penh Crown head coach Oleg Starynskyi has urged his players to stop dwelling on the weekend’s loss to Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng. He has demanded that they channel all their focus into the five remaining matches of the Cambodian Premier League (CPL), as despite the top-of-the-table setback, their title chances are still alive.
Oleg was attempting to rally his team after they a 2-0 home defeat to league leaders Svay Rieng on Saturday night — a result that disappointed fans and dealt a blow to Crown’s title chances. The loss not only widened the gap between the two sides but also left Crown vulnerable to pressure from third-placed Visakha, who are now hot on their heels.
“The fans are disappointed in us. We have to work even harder to make them happy and get them back supporting us for the remaining matches. We must also aim for all 3 points to bring joy to the fans as well as ourselves,” the Ukrainian coach told a pot-match press conference.
He encouraged his squad to let go of the pain from the loss and regroup emotionally to prepare for the final push.
“We don’t need to overthink it. We just need to focus on our last five games. That’s where all our attention should be,” he added.
The high-stakes April 5 clash at Smart RSN Stadium was intense, with referee Veera Dara issuing one red card and ten yellow cards. Crown picked up four yellow and one red, while Svay Rieng received six yellow cards.
Crown captain Yudai Ogawa was sent off in the 78th minute after receiving a second yellow card.
Crown were unable to capitalise on any of their good work in the April 5 match, losing 2-0. Svay Rieng
The first goal came from Nhean Sosidan in first-half stoppage time (45+2), with the second scored by Lao forward Bounphachan Bounkong in the 59th minute — sealing the 2-0 victory.
Svay Rieng head coach Pep Muñoz acknowledged the intensity of the match.
“From the beginning, it was a high-intensity and very heated game. The ball was constantly in play — there were no breaks. Even the technical areas were fired up,” he noted.
He admitted Phnom Penh Crown had performed well in the first half and created multiple chances, but noted that his squad had Svay Rieng capitalised on key moments — scoring once before halftime and again in the second half — to take control of the match.
Nonetheless, he said he would address the team’s weaknesses to further improve their overall play.
The crucial 3-point victory meant Svay Rieng maintain their spot at the top of the table with 64 points. Crown remain second with 60 points. They are followed closely by Visakha with 59, after a 3-2 win over Angkor Tiger on Sunday. Meanwhile, Boeung Ket drew 0-0 with NagaWorld.
The title race remains wide open among the top three, although the defending champions appear to be holding an edge. However, with five matches left in the Top 6 stage, nothing is guaranteed.
If Svay Rieng cannot maintain their momentum, Phnom Penh Crown and Visakha could still make a late-season push for the championship.
