Coach Conor says Cambodian women footballers deserve encouragement after Hong Kong draw
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia women's national team head coach Conor Nestor expressed his satisfaction with the 1–1 draw against Hong Kong.
Following the result, which secured a point in their group opener, Conor emphasised that his players deserve encouragement for their efforts as they head into the next two matches in Group G.
In the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 qualifiers (Group G) opener, match held at the National Olympic Stadium on Sunday (June 29), the Cambodian team struggled, particularly in defence. Communication issues between the defenders and the goalkeeper allowed Hong Kong several chances in front of goal.
During one of these plays, Cambodian defender Vibol Serysitha (#13) attempted to clear a shot from Hong Kong forward Leung Hong Kiu Anke but ended up fouling her in the penalty area. The referee awarded a penalty, which Leung (#22) successfully converted in the 31st minute to give Hong Kong a 1–0 lead.
However, the Cambodian team showed resilience and improved significantly in the second half. The stadium erupted with cheers when forward Voeun Sothan scored an equalising goal in the 81st minute, securing a 1–1 result.
'I was really excited to score and help the team equalise. Even though the other team is strong, we played well together today and showed strong determination,' said Sothan.
Action from the Group G opening match of the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 qualifiers. CPL
She also called on Cambodian fans to attend the next two matches in greater numbers to support the team, noting that Sunday's game had a relatively small crowd.
Nestor observed that the Cambodian women played well in the second half and urged the public to give them more encouragement to help boost their morale ahead of their upcoming matches against the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.
'The Hong Kong team has a lot of experience in international competition, so I was pleased to hear the final whistle with a 1–1 result. It was the first time our players have competed at this level,' he told a post-match press conference.
'If our team plays like we did in the second half for the next two games, I believe we can reach a strong position in this group stage of the AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifiers. Our players deserve to be encouraged for their hard work,' added the Irish coach.
Hong Kong head coach Jose Ricardo Rambo expressed disappointment that his team couldn't hold on to their 1–0 lead until the end. He acknowledged that Cambodia's pressure in the second half forced the momentum to shift.
'After scoring in the first half, our level dropped a bit. We started the second half quite well, but Cambodia pressured us hard, which made it difficult to play and maintain possession. We tried to change tactics, but it wasn't enough to regain control,' he said.
Also on Sunday at the Olympic Stadium, the Philippines women's team defeated Saudi Arabia 3–0, taking the top spot in Group G, for now. Cambodia will next face the Philippines on July 2, while Saudi Arabia will play Hong Kong. - The Phnom Penh/ANN
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