Cambodia’s PKR Svay Rieng FC suffered a 2-1 defeat to FC Arkadag of Turkmenistan in the final of the AFC Challenge League in a game that was contested at a sold out Morodok Techo National Stadium on Saturday.
After a goalless first half, Mekan Saparow scored the opener for the away side in the 59th minute but in front of around 60,000 fans in Phnom Penh, Saret Krya headed home the equaliser with eight minutes left to play to take the title clash into extra-time.
But after Min Ratanak struck the woodwork for Svay Rieng and the game looking to be heading for a penalty shootout, Altymyrat Annadurdyyew netted the all-important winner in the second half of extra-time to give Arkadag the title in Asia’s third-tier club competition.
But the Cambodians will look back at their Challenge League campaign with pride as they became the first club from their country to contest in the final of an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) club competition, having beaten Indonesia's Madura United 6-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
Svay Rieng had finished third in Group A of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ with two wins, one draw and two defeats and missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition – only three points behind Indonesia’s PSM Makassar in second place.
During an impressive Shopee Cup™ campaign, Svay Rieng posted wins against Malaysia’s Terengganu FC and Myanmar’s Shan United FC and also held Vietnam’s Đông Á Thanh Hóa FC in a creditable away draw.
Pep Munoz’s side secured a fourth Cambodian Premier League title already this season and will hope to add another silverware to their cabinet as they are also involved in the semi-finals of the Hun Sen Cup against Boeung Ket FC.
Photo: PKR Svay Rieng
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