Cheavey’s SEA Games dreams to come true

FOR Ban Cheavey and her teammates, it will be a dream come true when Cambodia makes its debut in the women’s football at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Vietnam later this month.

The 20-strong national women’s team will head to Vietnam on May 4 with Cheavey ¬– the Cambodian Women’s Championship Golden Boot winner – among those hoping to make a dream debut.

Like most Cambodian athletes, Cheavey has always dreamed of representing the Kingdom in the biggest multisport event in the Southeast Asian region.

“It’s our debut in the SEA Games, so it’s a great opportunity for us to learn and progress to the next level as well as to show everyone what we can do,” said Cheavey.

Drawn in Group A, Cambodia will play their very first SEA Games match on May 9 as they take on the Philippines.

Five days later, they will face hosts Vietnam in their final Group A match, following the withdrawal of Indonesia from the event.

“It’s a great honor to represent Cambodia at the SEA Games. Our men’s football team play at the SEA Games regularly, so we also dreamt of featuring in this event, too. Now our dream has come true.”

Cheavey signed her first professional football contract with one of Cambodia’s most prestigious football clubs, Phnom Penh Crown, back in 2017.

The Phnom Penh Crown skipper was among the key players that fired her club to their first Cambodian Women’s League title this season.

She also took part in the AFF Women’s Championship in 2018, when she scored a hattrick in Cambodia’s 12-0 win against East Timor.

Heavy defeats to Australia (12-0), Thailand (11-0), and Malaysia (4-0) saw Cambodia finish fourth of the five teams in Group A.

Cambodia might experience the same at the 31st SEA Games, as they face powerhouses Vietnam and the Philippines, who will both compete at the Women’s World Cup next year.

However, Cheavey has insisted that her side will leave nothing on the field if it means avoiding another humiliation.

“We are new and have little experience. However, the important thing is to stick to our game plan and not concede many goals,” added the national captain.

“We will do everything it takes and use all our power to perform well for our supporters,” she said.