The Cambodia U23 national team will kick off their campaign as hosts of Group G of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers tomorrow night.
Despite knowing they will face only strong opponents, the team remains determined to fight for good results when they run on the pitch at the National Olympic Stadium.
Young forward Bong Samuel, who plays for Phnom Penh Crown, expected that every match in Group G — against Oman, Iraq and Pakistan — will be difficult. However, he expressed his determination to bring home results for the nation, even though the team has had only about a week together in training camp.
“All three matches in Group G will be very tough, and we have had little time to train together. We believe these matches will give us a lot of experience, but we will fight to earn victories for our country,” he told a press conference, held earlier today.
“We have played at the National Olympic Stadium many times already, so we feel comfortable here. Playing against strong teams means we must perform at our very best,” he added.
Cambodia will open their campaign against Oman at 7pm on Wednesday, September 3, before facing Pakistan on September 6 and Iraq on September 9. Oman and Iraq will meet tomorrow, at 4pm.
Head coach Koji Gyotoku acknowledged that the group will be very challenging, as Cambodia has been drawn against strong sides. That is why he selected players with strong stamina who can play a full 90 minutes, to prepare properly for this tournament.
“I am very happy that we can compete with such strong teams in these qualifiers, and I have prepared the squad for tomorrow’s match (against Oman U23),” he said.
“We hope many supporters will come to cheer for the players, and we will do our best to deliver good results for them,” he added.
However, the Japanese coach admitted that he is concerned that matches could be affected by rainfall, and since he has not observed the training of other teams, he is unsure about their physical condition compared to Cambodia.
Even so, he remained optimistic.
“In football, sometimes smaller players can be faster than bigger ones. We cannot judge who is stronger until the game is played. What matters is that we give our all. As hosts, our players are already adapted to the climate and match atmosphere, so I expect them to perform well in every game,” he shared.
