Crown captain Thul Sothearith (left) battles with BBU’s Prum Puthsethy during their quarterfinal. Photo by: Sreng Meng Srun

Preah Khan Reach striker Khoun Laboravy fires a shot during the quarterfinal against Prek Pra. Photo by: Sreng Meng Srun

Reigning Metfone C-League champions Phnom Penh Crown crashed out of the 2011 Samdech Hun Sun Cup on Saturday after a resolute Build Bright United pulled off a sensational 7-6 victory in a nerve-racking penalty shootout during their quarterfinal at Olympic Stadium.

The teams shared four first half goals and then kept their sheets clean to force the inevitable tie-breaker. But heading into extra time, the University backed side suffered the ignominy of losing their trusted goalkeeper Hem Simay to a red card during the second minute of injury time. An overambitious studs-up tackle outside the penalty box on an advancing Soung Virak landed the stopper, who won the Best Keeper prize during the 2009 Cup campaign, in serious trouble.

The ensuing freekick was squandered and a goalless extra time led to spotkicks.

Amid palatable tension both in the stands and on the pitch, Crown suffered a setback when Sun Sophana misfired. Former Crown forward Heng Sok Ly then saw his attempt thwarted by Crown’s Peng Bunchhay as the drama took another weird twist.

But with BBU scoring their next three, Chan Chhaya’s inglorious miss eventually led to Crown’s ouster as BBU mopped up the ferocious fight for a well deserved place in the semis.

Phoung Narong had fired Crown to an eleventh minute lead in regulation time, before BBU stormed back with a penalty conversion by old warhorse Nout Sinoun nine minutes later.

Crown nosed ahead through a Sok Pheng strike in the 31st minute, but within seconds BBU came up with a counter punch and equalised through Prum Puthsethy.

PKR storm into semifinals

In Saturday’s early kickoff, Metfone C-League runners up Preah Khan Reach produced an authentic second half display to overrun a youthful Prek Pra Keila 5-1.

Mat Hassan’s goal for the underdogs caused some anxiety in the PKR camp, but the inform Khoun Laboravy stamped his mark on the tie with a superb hat-trick to take his overall tally in the competition to 19 goals and assume a clear lead in the Golden Boot competition.

After just seven minutes, Mat Hassan weaved his way thorough an offside trap to leave the PKR defence in disarray. Until Khoun Laboravy found the much needed equaliser, the pressure seemed to be on PKR as Prek Pra Keila threw a numerous efforts at goal.

But after changing over at 1-1, the Military Police team completely dominated the show. Tum Saray and Phany Erotha added a goal each and Khoun Laboravy, always a meance in the box, got home with his deserving treble.