PHNOM PENH: PKR Svay Rieng FC head coach Matt McConkey has warned opposition teams not to underestimate his team after the Cambodian Premier League outfit narrowly missed out on a surprise win over Johor Darul Ta’zim FC in the Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup on Thursday.
Stoppage time goals from Shane Lowry and La’Vere Corbin-Ong salvaged a point for a much-changed JDT as the Group B clash in Phnom Penh ended in a 2-2 draw after Cristian Roque and Nhean Sosidan had given McConkey’s side a two-goal lead at halftime.
“I’m very proud of how we played,” said the 32-year-old. “We’ll take a lot from this game in terms of what we need to do to make sure that stays at three points. I think for 80 minutes we were the better team by far, I think we pressed really, really well.
“We forced them to play only long balls. With the ball, in the first half, we could maybe do some things better but in the second half we were very, very good up to until maybe 80 minutes and then we got a bit tired.
“Anyone who watches the game can see that we deserved to win the game, but that’s football.”
The draw moves Svay Rieng onto four points from their first three matches in Group B in the 2025/26 Shopee Cup™ to remain three points behind table-toppers JDT with Bangkok United FC the next visitors to Phnom Penh in January.
“We drew this game so it doesn’t really help us too much in the group,” said McConkey. “We really needed to get the three points but we’re still in the competition so it’s the same as today, we play Bangkok United when they come here and we play to win.”
McConkey felt some of his players were overawed by the Malaysia Super League champions in the opening exchanges but that changed as the match wore on.
“Maybe you felt like they played against the Johor badge and not the Johor players,” he said. “But after that, and especially after halftime and the way we played with the ball, it was outstanding.
“They had to run a lot. I think we reduced a lot of the things that they wanted to do with the ball without pressing. I think you can see we were more than competitive.
“(JDT) made a lot of changes because they have a big schedule, and that’s understandable because they have (AFC) Champions League.
“It’s probably not the strongest Johor that there can be, but any team that wants to come and play us in the future probably won’t underestimate us again.”
As for the match, Johor Darul Ta’zim FC scored twice in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw with PKR Svay Rieng FC in Phnom Penh on Thursday as the Malaysia Super League champions retained top spot in Group B of the 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™.
Shane Lowry inspired JDT’s late comeback, the defender scoring in the 92nd minute and setting up La’Vere Corbin-Ong to nod in the equaliser four minutes later after first half goals from Cristian Roque and Nhean Sosidan had put Svay Rieng in control.
The result keeps JDT in pole position in Group B with Xisco Muñoz’s side moving onto seven points from three matches while the Cambodian Premier League champions now sit on four points.
Sosidan had an early sight of goal that Andoni Zubiaurre comfortably saved while the Cambodia international saw another effort blocked as the hosts made a bright start against the serial Malaysian title winners.
Patrick forced Zubiaurre into action in the 28th minute with his shot from outside the area and, less than a minute later, the Brazilian was setting up his compatriot Cristian Roque to open the scoring.
Patrick rolled the ball into the forward’s path on the left flank and he cut inside to unleash a right-foot shot from 25 yards out that skipped off the turf to nestle in the bottom corner, beating Zubiaurre as he dived to his right.
With eight minutes remaining in the half, Svay Rieng doubled the lead. Peprah burst down the left as he found space behind the JDT defence and, with the visitors in flux, the Ghanaian rolled the ball across the face of goal for Sosidan to slam into the roof of the net.
Peprah almost added a third a minute before the break, the 24-year-old forward forcing the JDT defence to backpedal before hitting a shot that flew narrowly wide of Zubiaurre’s post.
Patrick was denied by Zubiaurre 12 minutes from time while Bounphachan Bounkong could only find the JDT goalkeeper’s hands in the dying moments when he tried to chip a late effort home and Svay Rieng were to rue those misses.
Lowry was left unmarked to power in a header from Heberty’s corner in the 92nd minute to set up a grandstand finish, with Dara Vireak keeping out Jairo’s effort and blocking a goal-bound header by Svay Rieng defender Visal Soeuy before JDT levelled.
Lowry was involved again when, four minutes later, he headed across the face of goal for Corbin-Ong to nod in from close range and take a point for the visitors.
Scores:
Bangkok United FC (THA) 2 – 2 Lion City Sailors FC (SIN)
PKR Svay Rieng FC (CAM) 2 – 2 Johor Darul Ta'zim FC (MAS)
Shan United FC (MYA) 0 – 3 Nam Định FC (VIE)
The Shopee Star of the Match award winners are:
Bangkok United FC (THA) v Lion City Sailors FC (SIN) – Seia Kunori (#17), Bangkok United FC
PKR Svay Rieng FC (CAM) v Johor Darul Ta'zim FC (MAS) – Cristian Roque (#21), PKR Svay Rieng FC
Shan United FC (MYA) v Nam Định FC (VIE) – Nguyễn Xuân Son (#12), Nam Định FC
