Naga Corp’s Teab Vathanak kicks past the challenge from Kirivong’s Sos Nasiet during their game. Photo by: Sreng Meng Srun

Naga Corp reduced the deficit between themselves and Meftone C-League leaders Phnom Penh Crown to a single point yesterday after coming back from a goal down to beat Kirivong Sok Sen Chey 2-1 at Olympic Stadium.

After a pedestrian first half which yielded a handful of clear cut chances for both sides that went begging, the game sprang into life from the very first minute of the second session.

A free kick on the edge of the area for Kirivong saw Naga struggle to assemble their wall carefully as Song Dara swept the ball in to open the scoring.

The strike partnership between Naga’s Julius Oiboh and Teab Vathanak often promised to produce the goods, and on 62 minutes it did, albeit in fortuitous fashion. A mishit strike by Vathanak span wildly off target but was collected by Momoh Sumaila, who then picked out Nigerian compatriot Oiboh in the centre to level the match.

Oiboh now has 15 goals from the campaign as he closes in on the golden boot award, four clear of his closest rival Khoun Laboravy of Preah Khan Reach.

Naga then edged in front just two minutes later, as Vathanak and Oiboh linked up well with a neat one-two to see the former finish with aplomb.

Takeo based Kirivong simply had no answers, and in their desperation to equalise lost midfielder Heng Kimhong, who was handed a second yellow for diving in the box.  TRANSLATED BY UNG CHAMROEUN