Scoring the only goal of the game, football club Phnom Penh Crown beat Naga Corp FC on Saturday and took home the Hun Sen Cup for the second year in a row.
Following a goalless first half, PPC substitute striker Keo Sok Ngan drew cheers from the crowd of 20,000 at Olympic Stadium when he scored during the 61st minute of the game.
However, Naga Corp, which won the cup in 2007, appeared set to rally when, with 7 minutes left in the game, PPC defenseman Ek Sovannara was removed after re-ceiving a red card for aggressive dissent about a free kick that was awarded to Naga Corp, leaving PPC a man down.
In the end, though, Keo Sok Ngan’s lone goal proved to be enough, and PPC walked away with $17,500 in prize money.
Following the game, PPC manager Be Makara praised Keo Sok Ngan for his match-winning strike, saying that the forward had been struggling with injuries before the tournament.
“Keo Sok Ngan was injured a lot and today…he did well,” he said, adding that he was proud that his team was able to hang on despite being outnumbered on the pitch in the closing minutes.
Naga Corp took home $10,000 for coming in second in the tournament, and Preah Khan Reach FC was awarded $5,000 for its third-place finish.
Striker Kuoch Sokumpheak of Ranger FC, who scored a blistering 21 goals in the tournament, won $250 for being the top scorer, and Build Bright United’s Hem Si-may was given $250 for being the best goalkeeper.
Football Federation of Cambo-dia president Sao Sokha praised all 33 teams for their effort in the lengthy tournament, saying that every year the teams get better.
He added that the FFC is checking its budget to see if it will be possible to hold a Hun Sen Cup for women’s teams next year.
