Vientiane: Laotian champions Young Elephants FC can count on home advantage when they take on Cambodian champions Svay Rieng in the first leg of the Shopee Cup Qualifying Round Play-offs at Laos National Stadium on Wednesday.
Both sides will be battling for a coveted spot in Group A to join Thailand’s BG Pathum United, Terengganu FC from Malaysia, Indonesia’s PSM Makassar and Dong A Thanh Hoa FC from Vietnam.
Young Elephants are currently in pre-season mode, ramping up preparations for the match as they aim to begin their new campaign on a positive note after winning their second consecutive league title last year.
There have been big changes at the club during the past week with former Laos national team goalkeeper Phoutpasong Sengdalavong announced as the club’s new head coach following the departure of their highly successful Singaporean coach Satyasagara.
Xangnoy have also announced the return of Japanese forward Takumu Nishihara, having scored 12 goals for them in the 2020 season.
Svay Rieng, meanwhile, completed their triumphant Cambodian Premier League season in mid-May, finishing eight points ahead of nearest challengers Phnom Penh Crown whom they also beat 1-0 in the final of the Hun Sen Cup to complete their first domestic double.
The Cambodian champions lost their latest warm-up match 2-1 against compatriots Nagaworld last week but have since bolstered their squad with new signings.
Nagaworld’s former Brazilian forward Cristian Roque Dos Santos along with fellow countryman Pablo Augusto have arrived as they now aim for a positive result from their trip to Laos.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides but both of them have previously faced opposition from each other’s nations in continental matches with Young Elephants losing 3-0 to Phnom Penh Crown in the Qualifying Playoffs in last season’s AFC Cup as well as a 4-2 group stage defeat to the same opposition in 2022.
Svay Rieng have better memories with a 4-1 first-leg win against Master 7 of Laos in the 2020 AFC Cup playoffs before a 3-0 away win in Vientiane completed a dominant 7-1 aggregate win.
Interestingly, Young Elephants and Svay Rieng signed an international partnership in January this year with the intention to build a shared future of success, both on and off the pitch.
Young Elephants FC vs Svay Rieng FC
Venue: Laos National Stadium
Kick-off: July 17, 7:30 PM (Local Time)
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