The Cambodia national U23 football team open their SEA Games Group A campaign today when they come up against hosts Indonesia at 7pm at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. Cambodia coach Lee Tae-Hoon will come under fierce scrutiny after the South Korean declared earlier in the year that the SEA Games was his main priority during his appointment.

A win for the Kingdom would rewrite history, having never beaten a host nation in any previous SEA Games competition, while Cambodia’s two previous meetings against Indonesia have seen them record a 1-0 loss in 1999 and a 3-1 defeat in 2007.

Since 1954, Indonesia have claimed two SEA Games gold medals, 2 silvers and 3 bronzes in men’s football. Cambodia, meanwhile, have made regular appearances at the biennial event since 1995, but have yet to qualify from the group stage, often conceding a large number of goals to their superior regional rivals.

At the previous edition held in Vientiane two years ago, both teams failed to advance to the knockout stage. Of Lee’s squad of 20 youthful players, nine hold SEA Games experience having travelled to Laos in 2009 with then coach Scott O’Donell of Australia. These include Sou Yaty, Lay Raksmey, Sok Rithy, Pheak Rady, Touch Pancharong, Prak Mony Udom, Khuon Laboravy, Chhun Sothearath, and Keo Sokngon.

TRANSLATED BY IN SOPHENG

Cambodian squad

Goalkeepers: Sou Yaty, Um Vichet

Defenders: Sok Sovan, Sok Rithy, Lay Raksmey, Pheak Rady, Moul Daravorn, Touch Pancharong, Samuth Dalin

Midfielders: Suon Veasna, Pov Phearith, Chhun Sothearath, Tum Saray, Prak Mony Udom, Chhin Chhoeurn, Sos Souhana

Forwards: Khuon Laboravy, Keo Sokngorn, Sok Pheng, Phoung Soksana

Weekend Results

Thursday November 3

Vietnam 3 Philippines 1

Laos 2 Myanmar 3

Saturday November 5

Brunei 1 East Timor 2

Myanmar 0 Vietnam 0

Today’s Fixtures

Kick offs in Cambodian time

East Timor v Philippines – 4pm

Singapore v Malaysia – 4pm

Indonesia v Cambodia – 7pm

Laos v Brunei – 7pm