Coach Pep Munuz admitted that Visakha FC outplayed them, and offered no excuses for the loss. CPL
The Cambodian Premier League (CPL) saw a long-standing record shattered on Sunday, when Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC were forced to accept a loss on home soil for the first time since December 2023.
The 2-1 result to Visakha FC also gave the third-placed Visakha an outside shot at claiming this year’s CPL title from current holders Svay Rieng.
Following the loss, Svay Rieng head coach Pep Munoz, offered no excuses for the defeat, praising the visitors for their superior performance on the day.
“First, I would like to congratulate Visakha. They really played well. We have no excuses because, today, they played better than us,” he said.
Brazilian forward De Andrade Souza Ramon opened the scoring for Visakha in the 19th minute, following a mistake by goalkeeper Vira Dara, whose attempt to clear the ball was mishandled.
Svay Rieng had a chance to equalise when a penalty was awarded in the 23rd minute after a foul by Visakha's Matheus Moresche inside the penalty box. Matheus converted the penalty to make it 1-1.
Svay Rieng FC lost to Visakha 2-1 on March 9, their first home lost in more than a year. CPL
However, Visakha's Leng Noura scored the winning goal in the 81st minute, securing a thrilling 2-1 victory for the visitors.
Visakha ended Svay Rieng's unbeaten streak at home, which had lasted for over a year and three months.
The last time they lost at home was on December 9, 2023, to ISI Dangkor Senchey FC, in a 2-1 defeat.
“We have won many matches in recent weeks, but this week we didn't win, and we have no excuses. In this match, Visakha started better and had more ambition than us, and in the end, they deserved the victory,” Munoz accepted.
“Visakha has confidence in their players, with quality in both their starting XI and the bench. It is now clear that Visakha is in a position to compete for the title with us,” he added.
The win helped them close the gap with Svay Rieng and Phnom Penh Crown, who defeated Nagaworld 1-0 in a tough match over the weekend.
Crown forward Gayoso Javier Augustine was emotional after scoring the last-minute winner in the 90+1 minute, showing his excitement alongside his teammates.
Meanwhile, Boeung Ket FC secured a 2-1 victory over Angkor Tiger FC.
With the results of all six top teams, Svay Rieng remain at the top of the league standings with 58 points, followed closely by Phnom Penh Crown on 57 points and Visakha with 53.
All three teams have become fierce competitors for the CPL title this season, while Angkor Tiger FC sit fourth with 40 points. Nagaworld FC are fifth on 36 points and Boeung Ket FC lie sixth with 33.
With plenty of action between now and the May wrap-up of the league, it is shaping up to be one of the closest races in CPL history.
