Going into the tournament success for Cambodia was viewed as getting to the semi-finals, which was duly achieved. Sadly going that extra step and getting the bornze medal proved one step too far against what was on the night a brilliant Thai team.
First Half: Cambodia 0-3 Thailand
Perhaps it was the roasting heat or the fact that our fans believed we had no chance for whatever reason Olympic Stadium wasn’t nearly as full as it should have beeen.. The Khmer women caught the heart of a nation and rightly so. The task ahead of them however was one of monumental proportions and to given that less than a week ago they had beaten us comfortably anything other than a repeat was a dream.
It didn’t take long for Thailand to take control of the game, Pengngam taking control of the loose ball and smashing inside the near post. The lead doubled in the half hour mark when Cambodia failed to clear their lines and were punished. The second goal was a sucker punch and we would never recover from it. Six minutes and 3 shots on goal later it was 3-0 with Pengngam second goal of the game.
Second Half: Cambodia 0-6 Thailand
Both teams started the second half by making a host of changes to both shape and personnel and that was the clearest indication that this was over as a game of football and now a showpiece 45 minutes for the fans. The Khmer girls, much like the fans, had by this point thrown in the towel.
The Thais were moving the ball with ease through the Khmer defensive wall and creating chance after chance. And then two goals in 5 minutes, the first a defensive error pounced on and the second a header unmarked from a corner. To their credit the Khmer girls kept pushing forward and even to the last minute if the game they fought for every ball, every tackle Ave every blade of fake grass. The sixth and final goal came with just a few minutes to go and at the final whistle both teams were met with a standing ovation from the fans. Not the fairytale ending were envisaging a week ago, but a proud moment none the less.
What Did We Learn From SEA Games?
Following the match BPVE got to speak to the Thai team, with the general consensus being that while they won the bronze medal, for 20 minutes during this match they were perhaps the best team in the tournament. Bronze is no mean feat, but as whole they will be asking more what could have been,
For Cambodia it was a mixed bag of tricks. We have been beaten very easily by the two best teams on the continent and if we want to compete in the future then we have to be hard on ourselves and say this wasn’t good enough. However given where this team was a year ago we can only give them credit for finishing 4th against bigger and stronger opposition.
This article is adapted from BPVE, (https://bpve.com/) reported and edited from the great team – Cambodia Sports Review. (https://www.cambodiasportsreview.com/)
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