Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Phnom Penh: Singapore’s Home United FC will go into the second leg of their AFC Cup Play-off campaign against Phnom Penh Crown FC with a slender advantage after beating the Cambodian side 4-3 in their first leg tie at RSN Stadium on Monday.
Faris Ramli opened the scoring for Home with a penalty on 35 minutes and added a second some sixty seconds later, the midfielder exchanging passes with Croatian Stipe Plazibat before slotting the ball home.
However, Phnom Penh Crown reduced the deficit a minute into stoppage time thanks to a Futa Nakamura header.
With 70 minutes gone Plazibat found himself in space behind Phnom Penh’s defence and, with only goalkeeper Keo Soksela to beat, duly extended the visitors' lead.
Substitute Keo Soknngon’s neat strike from outside the box later hauled Phnom Penh back into the game once again with six minutes remaining, only for Home's Izzdin Shafiq to then capitalise on a defensive mistake to score his side’s fourth.
An inch-perfect free-kick from Phnom Penh’s South African captain Shane Booysen in the 93rd minute then handed the Cambodians a glimmer of hope going into the second leg in Singapore on February 7.
Photo: Phnom Penh Crown FC