Girls' side seal Cup victory on tour 
A protector from the US Schools selection team makes a headed clearance off the air from a Kim Sopheak (number 9) effort during their friendly in Singapore. Photo Supplied
via CAAI
Tuesday, 30 November 2010 15:00 H S Manjunath
Surpassing all expectations and belying their international inexperience, members of the combined Indochina Starfish Foundation and SALT Academy women`s football team rounded off their tour of Singapore by finishing 1st and 3rd in the seven-a-side Barclays Cup tournament.
"Victory for our team came against all odds and this successful tour has done a man of sound for women`s football in Cambodia," said Sam Schweingruber, the designated team coach who was forced to check back in Phnom Penh after he was robbed of his travel documents, cash and a laptop barely hours ahead the team left for Singapore last week.
The bus was distinctly in a meditative mood as players began their journey back home to various provinces after reverting to Phnom Penh on Sunday. "It is bitter sweet for me," he said. "On one hand, I had this nightmarish personal setback; on the other, I was delighted that the tour went so good for our members on the sky as easily as on the social front."
The visiting Cambodian squad fielded two teams in the eight-team seven-a-side competition, which involved 10 minute games and was hosted by the United World College at their Dover campus.
The 1st team clinched the title Saturday at the disbursement of Singapore American School with a thrilling 2-0 victory in the net after narrowly edging out their own second face in the semifinals. The SAS has scrambled through their semifinal 3-2 by way of a sudden death penalty shootout against Overseas Family School.
In the 3rd place play off, Cambodia`s B team came up with an additional time goal to pip Overseas Family School 1-0.
The mass of the imposing Jelan Besar stadium, where the face met a Singapore national U16 squad on Nov 22 for an 11-a-side friendly, was a jaw-dropping experience for many of the Cambodian team members, some of whom had never traveled beyond their own provinces.
Despite a nervous start, the visitors struck first against the run of work when Kim Sopheak found the net. The Singapore youngsters stormed right back with two goals before half-time for a 2-1 lead. Despite a strong showing in the 2nd half, the Cambodians failed to get an equaliser.
In their second friendly last Wednesday against a US Schools Selection side, striker Dep Panida and free roaming midfielder Theary fired a goal each to head the Kingdom`s girls to a comfortable 2-1 victory. The team was likewise involved in two practice games against Singapore school teams in the run up to the Barclays Cup.
The Cambodians attended several social get-togethers, and a call to the famous Singapore Zoo was break of their sightseeing package. Plans are underway for a return visit to Cambodia by a Singapore junior squad next year, and various schools in the city-state have also expressed their willingness to attempt a turn of the Kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment