Crown in charge as usual

The best players on show for Phnom Penh Crown, Simon Tracol (left) and Keo Sokngorn

Apologies to the non-football fans amongst my readership (do I have a readership?) but here's another post on footy after I watched the two best teams in the Cambodia Premier League slug out a hard-fought match yesterday afternoon at the Olympic Stadium. Phnom Penh Crown, everyone's favourite to regain their title this season, took a first minute lead through Jean-Roger Lappe Lappe and never looked back, until the last five minutes of the game. Two goals from teenage sensation Keo Sokngorn had helped to put Crown into an almost unassailable lead until Naga finally woke up with two late goals from Sunday and Sovannarith to show Crown they won't always have it their own way. We also had two players sent off and for Crown we saw the debut of French recruit Simon Tracol in goal. He looked very accomplished, with good safe handling throughout. He's just finished his French league 2 season with Boulogne sur Mer and was invited to come and try his luck with Crown for a few weeks. In the second match of the afternoon, National Defense caused a mini-shock when they beat Preah Khan Reach with a late goal in a 1-nil win. But by comparison with the opening game, it was a turgid affair.

At a deserted Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh Crown line up for their first league match of the new season

Their opponents are Naga Corp with my favourite player wearing the captain's armband, Om Thavrak

Preah Khan Reach take to the field with the fans in the main stand having paid $1 for the privilege of watching

My favourite team photo so far, the Preah Khan Reach team were fed up of waiting for the photographers to appear