Svay Rieng head coach Pep Munoz (left) shakes hands with Madura FC’s Angel Alfredo Vera during an April 9 press conference. Svay Rieng
Pep Munoz, head coach of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC, has described the upcoming clash against Indonesia’s Madura United FC as a “historic match” for his club.
He noted that his squad have worked extremely hard to reach the 2024-2025 AFC Challenge League semifinal, which will take place this Thursday night, April 10, at the Morodok Techo National Stadium.
The Spanish coach acknowledged that Madura is a strong team, rich in player resources, and previously defeated Svay Rieng 2–1 in the group stage of the same tournament in November last year, in Mongolia.
However, he expressed high hopes that his players could secure a victory at home this time.
“Tomorrow’s match is a historic one for our team. It will be a difficult and intense game because Madura has quality players. But if we play well and stick to our style, we can achieve a good result,” he told a Wednesday press conference.
He noted that the semi-final match will be very different from the Pool H group stage games played in Mongolia, due to differences in weather and environment. Madura United has also changed coaches, brought in new players and adjusted their playing style,” he explained.
“In this first leg, we have the advantage of playing at home, with many fans supporting and motivating us. But this is a two-legged tie. Even when we go to Indonesia, we’ll stick to our playing philosophy,” he stressed.
He confirmed that two key forwards, Brazilians Moresche and Cristian Roque, will not be available for the match, due to injuries.
Still, he remained calm about the situation.
“These two players are certainly important to our team, but I’m not worried at all. We still have many good players available, and they can perform well. We’ll stick to our playing style, especially in terms of ball control, and if we can hold onto the ball, we could win,” he said.
“This is a major international semi-final. Madura United is a great team with many quality players — both local and foreign — so we must play well to win at home, and then aim to carry that momentum into the second leg in Indonesia,” he added.
Angel Alfredo Vera, the new head coach of Madura, also addressed the conference. He praised Svay Rieng’s quality.
“I truly believe Svay Rieng has good players. Their playing strategy is very strong, which is why I’ve analysed the team and tried to adjust some points in preparation for the match,” he said.
Vera also expressed his intent to secure a strong result.
“We must play smart, as this is a two-legged tie. I hope we can get a good result in this away match to build momentum for the second leg at our home ground,” he explained.
