Khmer Europe XI’s Bin Thierry (C, white) takes on Preah Khan Reach’s Pen Panha (2nd R) and Hoy Phallin (2nd L) during their friendly match at Olympic Stadium yesterday. Photograph: Pha Lina/Phnom Penh Post

The playoff for third place in the Metfone C-League’s postseason Super 4 competition pits Preah Khan Reach against National Police Commissary today at 3:30pm at Olympic Stadium.

Military Police-backed PKR have once again come up short in their quest for a first league title after finishing runners-up last year. The impressive form in knockout tournaments that has seen them clinch back-to-back Hun Sen Cup trophies at the past two editions failed to lift them past Boeung Ket Rubber Field in the semifinals on Sunday.

PKR’s vicious assaults on controversially fielded Nigerian striker Julius Oiboh failed to merit anything but three red cards for their own players, who will now be suspended for today’s fixture.

The Police side, meanwhile, have already ensured a higher placing than their seventh from the previous campaign, and have no such issues in terms of squad restrictions.

The sides’ two previous meetings during the regular season have thrown up a 3-2 win for the Police and a 4-3 victory for PKR.

Khmer Europe XI thumped

Touring team Khmer Europe XI, who are comprised of Cambodian players living abroad, found the going tough yesterday when up against the reserves of Preah Khan Reach, losing 3-0 in their friendly at Olympic Stadium.

PKR’s Sok Rithy and Prak Mony Udom, who are both ruled out of the first team’s Super 4 match today after being sent off in the semis on Sunday, made it on the score sheet, along with youngster Samouen Pidor.

Fewer than 100 hard-core football fans had managed to slip through the police blockades around the stadium, which had been set up to control protests against the arrest of Beehive Radio director Mam Sonando outside the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

Earlier at Olympic Stadium, a visiting Thai senior side had been held to a 1-1 draw by their Cambodian equivalents.

Cambodia’s national team head coach put the home team in front after just three minutes, but Terrapong Santawong pegged things back level 15 minutes later.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ung Chamroeun at [email protected]