After a five-week break taken up by the national team’s campaign in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games and the AFC Cup qualifier against Vietnam in Phnom Penh, the Metfone C-League resumes for the 15th gameweek on Saturday, with leaders Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng eager to edge further away from a fast tightening group of chasers.

With nine wins, four draws and a single defeat, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng lead the table with 31 points, four clear of Ministry of National Defence and Phnom Penh Crown, who both have 27 points each.

NagaWorld are right there in the mix with 26 points, while defending champions Boeung Ket are three adrift in fifth as the race for the top four slots at the end of the league cycle hots up.

With all of their national call-ups back to bolster the side, Preah Khan Reach can expect a trouble-free run at home when they take on newcomers to the league season Electric-ite Du Cambodge, who also regard Svay Rieng as their base.

Just before the break in late July, PKR scored a huge confidence boosting 3-2 win over the Army after battling back from a goal down.

The main attraction of the week, however, features Army against NagaWorld on Saturday in a twilight clash between two sides trying desperately hard to close in on PKR.

The casino-backed side lost the double-leg quarterfinals of the RHB Singapore Cup against S.League side Hougang United butm before this trip, Naga did well to hold Boeung Ket Angkor to a battling 1-1 draw.

In Saturday’s other matches, Cambodian Tiger, currently sixth in the table with 22 points, host Asia Euro United in Siem Reap, while Phnom Penh Crown hit the road to Takeo for a tilt against bottom of the barrel Kirivong Sok Sen Chey.

Reigning champions Boeung Ket had a bittersweet experience in Singapore. After losing the first leg against Global FC 3-1, Boeung Ket won the second 2-1, but the victory failed to stop the Philippines champs from making it to the semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate.

On Sunday, Boeung Ket face Western Phnom Penh in search of a full set of points that could propel them into the top four bracket.