Courtesy: The Phnom Penh Post


Futsal team start qualifier campaign

Meanwhile, in Bangkok, Cambodia’s national futsal team will face Australia this morning in their opening game of the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship qualifying tournament.

Cambodia head coach Hok Sottitya and his assistants have been trying hard to maintain high spirits in the team despite a daunting task ahead.

“Some players have compared their [diminutive] sizes to their opponents, such as Australian players. But I have been reminding them not to be too concerned about this problem,” Hok Sottitya said.

“In the futsal competition, the larger players cannot do everything on the pitch. They would be fined all the time [if they used their size to their advantage].”

The former Cambodian futsal team captain revealed a cautious strategy ahead of their Australia clash.

“We will not try to push into the opponent’s territory too quickly.

“We can start by strengthening the defence . . . and when our opponent looks tired, we will go on the counter-attack,” he said.

The coach noted that the accommodation and food were satisfactory, but said a two-hour commute to the Krungthep Thonburi University campus from their hotel each day could prove tiresome.

During three previous appearances at the Futsal qualifiers in 2004, 2006 and 2010, Cambodia avoiding meeting Australia, who joined the ASEAN Zone in 2006 and progressed to the quarter-finals of the tournament proper in 2007, 2008 and 2010.


Today’s Futsal Fixtures

All matches played at Krongthep Thonburi University’s Indoor Hall in Bangkok

Group B
Australia v Cambodia – 11:30am
Vietnam v Malaysia – 2:30pm

Group A
Indonesia v Philippines – 4:30pm
Thailand v Myanmar – 7:00pm




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com