For the second year in a row, Flying Tigers proved unstoppable in the Barclays Capital ISF Junior football league. The U18 girls side got past arch rivals ANDC Bulls 3-2 in Sunday’s final to retain the title at the Old Stadium.

The Tigers win revolved round a splendid hat-trick from Song Channa, who deservedly  took the individual honours as the tournament’s most valuable player.

In the third place playoff, Coballers defeated Juice Master United 2-0.

Meanwhile, in a tense U14 boys final, momentum swung back and forth to see Juice Master United edge out Onslow 3-2 to claim the honours. Komar Takhav got the better of ISF Flying Tigers 4-2 to finish third. Also on Sunday, Komar Athireach proved far too good for Flying Tigers in a 6-0 rout that hoisted them to the top of the Boys U10 division. Blue Flags mauled Malu Lions 5-0 in the third place playoff tie.

Kangaroos stomp to victory

Prey Veng province celebrated its first big success on a football pitch for quite some time as their Kangaroos team ousted FABBA’s Tigers from Battambang 1-0 to lift the Barclays Capital ISF U14 girls Cup on Saturday.

On the way to the final, the Prey Veng side had tamed Phnom Penh’s Flying Tigers 1-0 in the semifinal even as the other ambush of Tigers were putting Battambang Rangers out of reach with a 3-0 victory.

Deaf players showcase their skills

For the first time in Cambodia, a tournament for deaf players was organised as an added attraction at the Old Stadium on Saturday.

The move to hold an event like this stemmed from a request made by participants of Epic Arts Programme in Kampot to the Phnom Penh based IndoChina Starfish Foundation to include them in their football programme.

“As the tournament day approached, more and more players and teams wanted to take part but we had to limit the entries to nine,” ISF Country Manager Kate Griffin said.

“We are so impressed with the interest and determination of deaf players and the feedback received from the day that ISF is committed to looking into expanding its programme to incorporate deaf players,” she added.

Justin Smith of the Deaf Development Programme in Phnom Penh also lauded the inaugural sporting competition of its kind. “Deaf players have never had a chance to play in such an event before. They are so happy for this opportunity,” he said.

Krousar Thmey Phnom Penh and its counterpart in Battambang took the top prize – the Adrian La Polombara/ISF Trophy - in the girls and boys events respectively.

While the Krousar Thmey girls eked out a 1-0 win over DDP Kampong Cham in the final, the Battambang boys came through a thrilling penalty shootout to emerge 4-2 victors against DDP Phnom Penh after the sides finished 1-1 after regulation time.