Naga stun Army with late strike from Zogbe

NAGAWORLD overcame last week’s Hun Sen Cup shock by putting the skids on joint Metfone C League leaders Ministry of National Defence, the only goal of the match from Anderson Zogbe (pictured, Sreng Meng Srun) coming deep into injury time at the Old Stadium on Saturday

A game of rapidly shifting fortunes and missed chances at both ends was seemingly heading for a goalless deadlock, when a powerful header by Ivory Coast striker Anderson off a well delivered corner bulged the Army net.

Naga coach Meas Channa welcomed the outcome me as a huge relief following the team’s Cup loss in the quarter-finals to CMAC. Though Naga have a mountain to climbb in their League campaign, the exciting g prospect of getting into the 2017 AFC Cup qualifying rounds next month has kept the casino-backed side bouyed.

The AFC has given Naga a place in the three-team playoff, with Three Star Club of Nepal and nd Erchim of Mongolia, as replacements nts for Phnom Penh Crown, who were disqualifiedisqualified by the Asia’s governing body y last month after four of the club’s officials cials were suspended for match-fixing ng earlier this year.

The second nd defeat for the Armymen helped Boeung Ket Angkor move clear at the top of the table after a Khun Laboravy inspired 2-1 victor y over Western Phnom Penh. Down by Rany’s seventh-minute goal, Boeung Ket were under intense pressure close to an hour before Laboravy struck twice in as many minutes. The equaliser came off a tidy finish and the go-ahead goal was a neatly placed spot-kick.

With 30 points from 11 matches, Boeung Ket have moved to 27 points, threet hree clearclea r of thet h Armymen. Phnom Penh Crown w were quite literally at home on the RSN Stadium pitch, scoring a bloodless 3-0 win over NationalNation Police, who continue to st struggle near the foot of the table.tab After missingmissin the target a few times in the first session, Crown forged aheadah four minutes after the br break when Bin Thierry headed in.i Crown doubled the advantageadvanta in the 74th mi n u t e t h r o u g h A n t h o n y Aymard, and Keo Sokgnon completed the tally 10 minutes before the end.