HAGL invests in Cambodia's future

If you weren't aware of it before, make no mistake that the Vietnamese are taking big steps to increase their influence in the sporting arena in both Cambodia and Laos. On my recent visit to Vientiane for the SEA Games, it was obvious to me that Vietnam were using the current inability of Thailand to present any sort of unified front, to step up their presence in Laos and exert a far-reaching influence that is not just confined to sport. The Vietnamese company Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group were the main benefactors by way of a $4 million gift for the construction of the SEA Games athletes' village. They also funded three months of training by the Laos U23 football team in the central highlands province of Gia Lai, as well as paying the salary of the Laos coach Alfred Riedl. Of course, they haven't done it out of the goodness of their own heart - the group have inked commercial deals in Laos that include mining and timber concessions. The Hoang Anh Gia Lai conglomerate have branched out from its original base in rubber plantations in Vietnam's highlands to include interests in real estate, hotels, and other industries. The head of HAGL, Doan Nguyen Duc, known as Bau (Big Boss) Duc, is believed to be the richest man in Vietnam. Hoang Anh is his daughter's name, Gia Lai his modest home base in the highlands.

HAGL's next major sporting investment is geared towards improving Cambodia's national football team. They have pledged $4 million towards the construction of the new national football center to be built in the Bati district of Takeo. They have also offered to help prepare the national team for the Suzuki Cup later next year as well as provide coaches for the country's youth team. Don't forget that HAGL, who operate a football academy in association with Arsenal, were the beaten finalists in the BIDC Cup in Phnom Penh a couple of months ago. At the same time HAGL have expressed their intentions to invest in rubber, mining, and electricity, in addition to their existing iron ore concessions they already have in Cambodia. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours seems to be the order of the day as HAGL and Vietnam continue their expansion plans. The football federation here already have Vietnam-based Metfone on board as one of their main sponsors for the coming season.

HAGL go through

The HAGL team that eased past Laos U23 and into tomorrow's final

The earlier match yesterday afternoon saw HAGL sweep aside a tired looking Laos U23 team with some ease and in the process go top of the BIDC league table with a better goal difference over Cambodia. The two sides now meet in Saturday's 6pm final. HAGL have now won their last two games with considerable ease and look a much different proposition than when Cambodia beat them 3-2 in the first game. Saturday's clash is sure to be an interesting one. I think HAGL underestimated the Cambodian's ability to fight back after they took a 2-nil lead last Sunday, and I don't expect them to fall into that trap again. In Evaldo Goncaves, they have one of the tournament's best players and its top scorer and he scored again against Laos. Skipper Doan Van Sakada opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime from a free-kick, Goncaves netted five minutes into the 2nd period and Ho Van Thuan got the third. Laos were never really in the hunt.
HAGL are definitely aiming high in the next V-League season and want to win the title. It all starts again at the end of January. The squad they have brought to Cambodia for the BIDC is missing a few of its stars, including their coach. They have 2 players each in the Vietnam and Thailand national teams, 4 players in the Vietnam U23s, 1 player training in the USA, and two of their stars didn't register for this tournament but have been out kicking balls on the pitch throughout the warm-ups. They are spending a lot of money to ensure they get success next season. Vissai Ninh Binh, who beat Cambodia 1-0 last night, are also not afraid to get the chequebook out for new players, and have 4 players not here as they are with the Vietnam national team preparing for an Asian Cup qualifying game. For a newly-promoted team to have 4 players in the national squad says something about their ambitions too. Vissai will play-off against Laos for the 3rd place match (and $5,000) at 3.30pm on Saturday. The Final, with a $20,000 reward for the winners, will be at 6pm between Cambodia and HAGL. Tell your friends.

The Laos team looked tired and uninspiring against HAGL

The HAGL capt Doan Van Sakada scored the opening goal, and won himself $200

HAGL's third goal was scored by baby-faced assassin Ho Van Thuan

Laos' best player by a country mile has been left winger Soukhavong Kaysone

To complete the set, this is Nguyen Thanh Son who scored the Vissai goal against Cambodia and won $200

One way traffic

HAGL (Hoang Anh Gia Lai) line-up in the hot and humid afternoon sun

You'd be mistaken if you thought Cambodia versus Laos was the only BIDC Cup match played yesterday. In fact it was the second match at 6pm under floodlights - which aren't great by the way, especially with my eyesight. The first game kicked off at 3.30pm in incredibly hot and humid conditions and it was so one-sided that I don't recall the HAGL keeper touching the ball until late in the 2nd half. So as you might assume from that comment, HAGL coasted to a 3-0 win over Vissai Ninh Binh, with the latter offering almost nothing in an attacking capacity, relying at times, on the massive frame of goalkeeper Ding Hoang La (aka Ukraine born, Lytovka Mykola) to keep the scoreline down, which he did, singlehandedly. Matches like this are not much fun to watch, but I do think the conditions played a part as well as VNB's ineptitude, who lost Ha Hoang Dam 2 minutes before halftime, sent off for squaring up to an opponent. HAGL's twin Brazilian strikeforce gave VNB the runaround with Evaldo Goncaves netting twice and Toledo moaning about everything as usual. Phung Van Nhien also scored for HAGL, who led 2-0 at halftime. If VNB play like this against Cambodia on Thursday, I might ask Scott O'Donell for a game. It also made me think that Cambodia caught the V-Leaguers off balance in their first encounter last Sunday and my money is on the two sides meeting again in the final on Saturday.

Vissai Ninh Binh turned up but hardly offered any resistance

HAGL's Evaldo Goncaves with his $200 bonus for scoring the first goal

HAGL's Phung Van Nhien doesn't look too pleased that he scored

A lovely sunny day but boy was it hot and humid at the Olympic Stadium, which was devoid of spectators when I took this photo. Thousands turned up for the Cambodia v Laos match later.

Never-say-die Cambodia

Cambodia's Under-23 team line up before they play HAGL

It's a few hours after the end of the game and I'm still catching my breath. The Cambodian national Under-23 team pulled off a dramatic 3-2 success against one of Vietnam's best club sides HAGL at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday night and sent a warning message to the other two teams in the BIDC Cup that they mean business. It was a classic counter-punch after HAGL took a two-goal lead in the 50th minute. Scott O'Donell's team dug into their reserves of grit and character that they've developed as a team in their month-long training camp in Saigon to get back in the game on 72 minutes with a Khim Borey penalty. It was that man Nov Soseila, who'd tormented the HAGL defence all night, who was floored by the full-back as he burst into the penalty box. It was all Cambodia at this point and more chances came and went before Chan Chhaya was tripped and Borey stepped up to lash in a 2nd penalty on 72 minutes to level the game. With the tide now firmly in Cambodia's favour, they pressed for a third and 4 minutes later, the HAGL goalkeeper dropped a cross onto the foot of substitute Prak Mony Udom and the teenager took off in wheels of delight as Cambodia nosed ahead 3-2. It was bedlam in the main stand as the Cambodian supporters went beserk, including yours truly. They had more opportunities to enhance the scoreline but 3-2 it stayed, leaving the national coach to enthuse: "I was very pleased with the character of the boys tonight, they can take great credit from that performance. We conceded two soft goals from set pieces and we have still got to improve on all aspects of our play, but they gave me everything they had and its a great morale boost for them. It was great to play and win in front of our own supporters and they were great too, even when we were 2-nil down." The Cambodian U23s line-up: Sou Yaty, Pheak Rady, Sun Sovannarith (capt), Tieng Tiny, Sok Rithy, San Narith, Phuong Narong (sub Oum Kumpheak), Nov Soseila (sub Prak Mony Udom), Keo Sokngorn, Chan Chhaya (sub Khuon Laboravy), Khim Borey.
In the opening game of the BIDC four-team tournament, the Laos U23s and Vissai Ninh Binh shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw that blossomed in the first-half and died off in the 2nd. Sayavuthi Khampeng gave Laos a deserved lead in the 10th minute, with VNB equalizing through Dang Van Thanh on 26 minutes. Both teams showed enough to suggest that all 4 teams in the BIDC Cup will be a tough nut to crack in the remaining round-robin games on Tuesday and Thursday.

Cambodia's national coach Scott ODonell makes a point at his after-match press conference

The Cambodian U23s await presentation to the match VIPs

HAGL, one of the V-League's best teams, lost 3-2 on the night after leading 2-0

Welcome to the BIDC Cup 2009 at the Olympic Stadium

The Laos U23 team earned themselves a 1-1 draw in their opening game

Vissai Ninh Binh came from behind to draw 1-1 against Laos U23s