Kwame Peprah
Kwame Peprah scored a hat-trick as Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC battled back from going behind to an early Moses Dyer strike to secure a comprehensive 4-1 win over fellow Cambodians Phnom Penh Crown FC in the first leg of the sides’ AFC Challenge League quarter-final at the Olympic stadium in Phnom Penh.
Dyer put Phnom Penh in front in the third minute before Peprah levelled 26 minutes later, and the Ghanaian struck twice more either side of a 75th minute penalty from Patrick to give Matt McConkey’s side a significant advantage ahead of next week’s second leg.
Phnom Penh wasted little time in taking the lead in the all-Cambodia Premier League clash at the Olympic Stadium, Oleg Starynksyi’s side punishing the Svay Rieng defence with less than three minutes on the clock.
Park Yi-yong’s run down the right channel was instrumental in opening up the defence, the right-back slipping past Faris Hammouti’s attempted challenge to reach the bye-line from where he pulled back an inviting pass that Dyer side-footed home from seven yards.
Dyer then squandered the opportunity to double the lead 10 minutes after the opener and Park was off target five minutes later, allowing Svay Rieng to pull level just before the half hour mark.
Ryo Fujii found space between the midfield and the defence to feed the ball through to Peprah and, after taking an initial touch, the forward thumped a right-foot shot across Chiem Samnang into the bottom corner.
Breno Caetano tormented the Svay Rieng defence with his jinking runs down the left, the Brazilian sending a 55th minute attempt high and wide as he sought to re-establish Phnom Penh’s advantage.
Park’s last-ditch tackle then prevented Tiago Alves from giving Svay Rieng the lead after Connor Shields has burst down the right as the action swung from one end of the pitch to the other.
It was from another counterattack that Svay Rieng took the lead as the midway point in the second half approached.
Tiago Alves charged down the left wing and, after bundling his way past Chhom Pisa 12 yards from goal, hit a shot that was cleared off the line by Raul Feher with Chiem beaten. The rebound landed at the feet of Peprah and he gladly slotted in his second.
Svay Rieng extended their lead with 15 minutes remaining when Patrick converted from the penalty spot, the Brazilian picking himself up off the turf following Yam Devit’s clumsy foul to power his effort past Chiem.
And in the 82nd minute Peprah completed his hat-trick in style, receiving the ball with his back to goal before holding off the defence and turning to unleash a 25-yard drive into the bottom corner past the helpless Chiem.
