Defending Metfone C-League champions Phnom Penh Crown continued their alarming start to the 2012 season by suffering their third loss in four games via a 2-1 defeat to league newcomers Boeung Ket Rubber Field yesterday at Olympic Stadium.

Striker Sin Dalin was the hero for the Kampong Cham outfit thanks to his 85th minute winner over their star-studded rivals.

{jathumbnail}

Yob Romataun had grabbed the early initiative for Boeung Ket in the first quarter-of-an-hour of the match.

Crown’s Chan Chaya then marked his return to the field having served out a six-month suspension from the fallout of the brawl at the AFC President’s Cup final in Taiwan last year, with an equaliser in the dying moment of the half.

Former Crown keeper Peng Bunchhay had also been involved in the ugly scenes in Kaohsiung, and had completed his six-month prohibition to rejoin league action for Boeung Ket this term.

In yesterday’s early game, Naga Corp and National Defence Ministry cancelled each other’s goals either side of the break to finish locked at 1-1.

Teab Vathanak pushed Naga in front with a headed effort in the first half before Phoung Soksana helped share the points with a strike in the second session.

On Saturday, in a 26-minute blitz during a rampaging second half, National Police striker Nelson Oladiji fired home four goals on the trot to ensure a 4-0 victory for his side over Build Bright United.

The African’s hot streak began in the 62nd minute after both sides had been involved in some rough exchanges and a slew of fouls.

Once he took the Police to the front, the side quickly built on the momentum to find three more strikes from Oladiji’s boot stretching right up to the 88th minute.

Despite both clubs ending up with the same foul-count of 18 each, which amply reflected the intensity of the fight, Police picked up only three yellow cards to BBU’s one.

Meanwhile in an earlier kickoff, league debutants Western University clawed their way back from a first half goal arrears to record a 3-1 victory over Chhlam Samut on the back of substitute Kang Sopheak’s late flourish.

The Sea Sharks stole a march in the 42nd minute when Ayodele Silva Sunday found the mark, but six minutes after resumption Hy Sok Veng restored parity for the University team.

While Chhlam Samut had more shots on the goal than their rivals, the accuracy of Kang Sopheak’s two glorious attempts in the 83rd and 90th minutes made all the difference.

To contact the reporters on this story: H S Manjunath at [email protected]

Ung Chamroeun at [email protected]