Matthew McConkey, head coach of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng, expressed his regrets after his side conceded two late goals in last night’s Group B qualifiers of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup 2025/2026 at the Morodok Techo National Stadium.
The Cambodian Premier League chamions allowed Malaysian giants Johor Darul Ta’zim FC to equalise 2–2 in the 90+6th minute. Interestingly, Johor’s coach was also unhappy with the result.
McConkey said he believed Svay Rieng fully deserved all three points thanks to their strong performance and early two-goal lead in the first half. However, they he accepted that they surrendered their advantage in the final four minutes of stoppage time.
“We are proud of our team, especially because we did everything possible to win. In the second half, we applied good pressure on them. In the first half, when we had the ball, we should have done even better. But overall, from the first minute to the 80th, we performed well. As you all saw, we deserved to win this match,” claimed the mercurial Northern Irishman.
In the Group B qualifiers of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup 2025/2026, Svay Rieng’s first goal came from striker Roque Cristian in the 29th minute with a beautiful finish. Forward Nhean Soseydan added another in the 37th minute after receiving a precise pass from striker Peprah Kwame.
Svay Rieng maintained their two-goal lead until the 90th minute, but everything changed dramatically in added time. Johor mounted an intense offensive and scored twice, with Shane Lowry scoring the first in the 90+2 minute, before Corbin-Ong scored the equaliser in the 90+6 minute.
“During that period, Johor put heavy pressure on us. Our players dropped deep to defend, but there may have been some disadvantage because some of our substitutes were as very tall,” said McConkey.
Even so, he insisted that all of his players were fully prepared, and noted that drawing against one of ASEAN’s strongest clubs was a meaningful achievement that boosts Svay Rieng’s reputation.
“We knew Johor had made several player rotations due to their busy schedule, so they didn’t field their strongest squad. But even so, the match was very competitive. In the future, teams playing against us will feel that we, too, are a strong team,” he added.
Roque Cristian, who was named Man of the Match, also shared his thought.
“We played well and deserved to win, but they equalised late. We have good players, but Johor also has many excellent players,” he said.
Johor head coach Xiscon Munoz praised Svay Rieng’s quality but admitted he was dissatisfied with his own team’s performance, saying it did not reflect their preparation or expectations.
“Svay Rieng played well in all aspects — their strength, technique and style of play. As for our team, we did not perform well in the first half. But we adjusted in the second half and managed to come back with two late goals,” he explained.
“I am not happy with this result,” he added.
However, he noted that the point still keeps Johor in a strong position to advance.
“We have played three matches — two wins and one draw. We’re still unbeaten, so our chances remain high. I am confident we will advance to the next round,” he continued.
