Svay Rieng head coach Pep Munoz is thrown into the air by his players as they celebrate back-to-back Cambodian Premier League titles. Svay Rieng
A dramatic 90+7th minute goal by Japanese defender Takashi Odawara helped Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC defeat NagaWorld FC 2-1 last night. The win secured them the Cambodian Premier League (CPL) title ahead of schedule — with two matches still remaining in the season.
In the April 30 match, held at Svay Rieng Stadium, Brazilian forward Roque Cristian gave the home side the lead in the 16th minute with a beautiful finish. However, NagaWorld’s Japanese player Hugo Kametani equalised in the 50th.
The 1-1 scoreline persisted into stoppage time, and it seemed unlikely that the home side would find a winner in the final moments. But the crowd erupted in celebration when Takashi Odawara pounced on a loose ball that slipped from the hands of goalkeeper Rat Leyheng, firing it into the net in the 90+7th minute.
Odawara’s goal became the crucial winner for Svay Rieng and their fans in Svay Rieng province, as it not only sealed the 2-1 victory over Nagaworld but also ensured the club clinched the league title early, despite two games remaining.
This 28th-round win gave Svay Rieng 73 points — a full 10 points ahead of second-place Phnom Penh Crown. Even if Crown were to win all three of their remaining matches and Svay Rieng dropped their final two, Svay Rieng would still be crowned champions.
The victorious Svay Rieng squad pose for trophy shots, as they celebrate their Cambodian Premier League title, their second on the trot. Svay Rieng
Despite the triumph, head coach Pep Munoz acknowledged the challenge of winning the league this season. He noted that the competition was fiercer than in previous seasons and that his team had the busiest schedule due to their participation in both the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup 2024/25 and the AFC Challenge League, where they represent Cambodia.
“Becoming league champions this season was extremely difficult. The league was intensely competitive, and the match schedule was very tight. The players, coaching staff and everyone involved worked very hard — they made this achievement possible,” he said.
Crown head coach Oleg Starynskyi congratulated Svay Rieng on their back-to-back championship titles.
“Congratulations to Svay Rieng. I think they performed very well,” he said.
“As we've seen, competing with Svay Rieng over these past two seasons has been like Liverpool competing with Man City. Of course, we also performed well. Looking back at our last two title wins, we won with fewer points. Now, even though we’re fighting for second place, we’ve actually won more matches, scored more goals and produced better results — but Svay Rieng still outscored us,” he acknowledged.
The players were ecstatic after an extra-time goal gave them the win over NagaWorld FC, and with it the league title. Svay Rieng
The celebrations are likely to continue for some time, but the men of Svay Rieng still have three league matches to play, as well as international competition. Svay Rieng
