AFC Cup 2020 playoffs: Svay Rieng FC to face top Laos team next week

Master 7 FC of Laos is expected to give PKR Svay Rieng FC a tough time on the pitch. Facebook

Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC will face Master 7 FC of Laos next week for the first leg of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup 2020 qualifying playoffs.

The PKR Svay Rieng FC versus Master 7 FC game will be played at Olympic Stadium on Jan 22. The game will start at 6pm.

Conor Nestor, the head coach of PKR Svay Rieng FC, said in a prior interview that they are ready and are looking forward to their game against the team from Laos.

“We are looking forward to our upcoming games against Master 7 from Laos in the AFC Cup playoff starting with the first leg at the Olympic Stadium on January 22,” he said.

As of now, there is no clear favourite between the two equally-strong teams. But if the recent friendly games are an indicator, KPR Svay Rieng FC stood the better chance of advancing to the group stage of the continental championship.

PKR Svay Rieng FC was recently in Malaysia for a series of friendly matches against top Malaysian football teams.

The Cambodian team won all three of its matches in Malaysia. The first game against Selangor FA ended with PKR Svay Rieng on top, 4-0. PKR Svay Rieng FC struggled in its next two games against Terengganu FC and FELDA United FC, but still came out as the winner.

The Cambodian team scored a come-from-behind 2-1 win against FELDA United FC. Against Terengganu FC, PKR Svay Rieng trailed 1-3 in the first half, before three goals in the second half allowed it to snatch the win.

PKR Svay Rieng FC also beat MUST CPK of Macau twice in friendly matches held in Phnom Penh prior to their one-week pre-season tour in Malaysia.

Master 7 FC, meanwhile, did not fare well in its Thailand pre-season tour, losing all three of its matches against top football teams from Thailand. Collectively, Master 7 FC only scored a single goal against the Thai teams.

The Laos team went down versus NP FC, 3-0. It also lost to Nakhonrachasima FC, 3-1, and to Khonkaen FC, 1-0.

Against Master 7 FC, PKR Svay Rieng can rely on a corps of outstanding players that was key to their winning several championships last year. The team topped the Cambodian League and was runner up in the Hun Sen Cup in 2019.

Forwards Prak Mony Udom, Yeon Gi-Sung and Jean Befolo “Privat” Mbarga and midfielder Hoy Phallin are expected to lead the attack for PKR Svay Rieng FC. The backline will be anchored by defenders Jonny Campbell, Nub Tola and Soeuy Visal.

Master 7 FC, which also boasts of a mixed lineup, is expected to rely on the offensive powers of attacking midfielder Keoviengphet Liththideth, forward Sopha Saysana and defender Bounthavy Sipasong.

Keoviengphet scored the most goals (14) in the top-tier Lao Premier League last year as his team took the runner-up honours.

After the game in Cambodia, the two teams will battle it out again in Laos on Jan 29. The winner will advance and join 29 other teams that have already qualified for the group stage.