Min Ratanak came on in the second half and scored Cambodia’s only goal last night’s 2-1 loss to Tajikistan Svay Rieng FC
Despite a promising start, the Cambodian men’s national football side were unable to produce a win in last night’s international friendly against Tajikistan.
Midfielder Min Ratanak noted that the 2-1 loss at the National Olympic Stadium wasn’t a terrible result, but the main issue was the lack of team cohesion and understanding on the pitch.
“I am disappointed that we couldn’t deliver a win to our fans,” said the Svay Rieng midfielder, who scored Cambodia’s lone goal as a substitute.
“We tried to play the way the coach wanted, pushing ourselves to play at a high intensity. I think the result wasn’t too bad, but our overall performance showed we’re still not in sync. We’re not quite on the same page yet,” he added.
Cambodia, ranked 181 in the world by FIFA, started well in the first half, maintaining good ball control and even pushing back against the Tajikistan team, currently 155 on the world rankings. The half ended in a goalless 0–0 draw.
However, the momentum shifted in the second half after the visitors made several substitutions, bringing on fast-paced players. In the 52nd minute, substitute Samiev Shahrom opened the scoring for Tajikistan, followed by another goal from Ehsoni Panshanbe in the 63rd.
The Kouprey were expected to struggle against the larger Tajik side, but held the visitors to a goal-less first half draw. FFC
Amid this difficult situation, Min Ratanak, who had come on early in the second half, managed to pull one back in the 71st minute, finishing neatly after a precise pass from Leng Nora. Unfortunately, Cambodia couldn’t find an equaliser and lost the match 2–1.
Cambodian head coach Koji Gyotoku acknowledged Tajikistan’s strength, while noting that some of Cambodia’s key players were absent.
“Some of our players couldn’t participate due to card suspensions or injuries. The players we had gave it their all,” said the Japanese coach.
“Tajikistan’s substitutions brought extra speed to their game. Meanwhile, we had to sub out In Sodavid after the first half due to injury, which left our midfield a bit exposed and contributed to conceding goals,” he added.
He also explained that Cambodia made six substitutions — the maximum allowed in a friendly — not as a tactical shake-up, but because some players were physically worn out. The friendly came shortly after the end of the Kingdom’s domestic season.
The match, held at the National Olympic Stadium, saw Cambodia use the maximum allowed substitutions, with coach Koji saying many players were fatigued. FFC
“It’s unfortunate because the changes weren’t about tactics, but about fatigue. Some of the players were exhausted and couldn’t continue. If they had played consistently in high-level competition for a full year, they would have handled this better,” he suggested.
“Our players gave their best. I truly wanted a victory to give something back to the fans who came out to support us today. Unfortunately, we couldn’t deliver, and that’s heartbreaking for me,” he added.
