Feel the pain

Sam El Nasa feels the pain of a second Suzuki Cup defeat

The result of tonight's AFF 2008 Suzuki Cup match - 4-0 to the host country Indonesia - came as no surprise even though the Cambodian team showed a little more enterprise than in their opening day defeat to Singapore. This was the second of three matches Cambodia will play in the round-robin Group A and they will be hoping to salvage some pride in their final match against Myanmar on Tuesday. It could've all been so different if Cambodian striker Kouch Sokumpheak had made more of his chance in the 8th minute but it was not to be and from then on Cambodia were again on the back foot against their, it has to be said, unimpressive opponents. Budi Sudarsono netted a hat-trick and the ludicrously named Bambang Pamungkas headed the fourth though Cambodia again showed some mettle in their first-half defending, going in just a goal down at half-time. The star for Cambodia was undoubtedly goalkeeper Samreth Seiha, in the wars and eventually replaced by Ouk Mic on 73 minutes, but not before he had made half a dozen saves of some distinction. His team-mates battle bravely and showed a few nice touches but ultimately were found wanting in the final third of the field and their defensive frailty was again exposed as the game wore on.
The Cambodia line-up: 1 Seiha (18 Mic); 2 Chanbunrith; 3 Raksmey; 4 Tiny; 7 Borey (19 Sina); 10 Sokumpheak; 11 Chan Rithy (6 Virath); 13 Narith; 14 Sovannarith; 16 El Nasa; 17 Sok Rithy. Attendance: approx 40,000.

The Cambodia starting line-up against Indonesia

Cambodia coach Prak Sovannara in serious contemplation

All for one and one for all!

Goalkeeper Samreth Seiha is down again after a clash with Mr Bambang

Khim Borey is substituted after a workmanlike performance