The Cambodia women’s national football team is excited to host Guam in an international friendly match at the National Olympic Stadium at 7pm tonight. The squad is determined to secure a victory to boost morale ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 qualifiers, which the Kingdom will host.
Captain Hea Sreylas acknowledged that the team has only had a short preparation period. However, she emphasised that the whole squad has worked hard to understand tactics and techniques with the coaching staff and are determined to win this match.
“This is the first international friendly match the national women’s team has hosted, so we will try our best to win. I admit our preparation time was short, but it’s not too big of an issue because now we understand each other much better,” she told a June 24 press conference.
However, she noted that support for women’s football in Cambodia is still limited. She called on all football fans to come out and support the women’s game — not only for tonight’s friendly but also as the team prepares for the upcoming AFC qualifiers. Cambodia will host Group G from June 29 to July 5.
“Reaching this level (being selected for the national team) is a responsibility we carry for our country. We want to help women’s football in Cambodia grow and inspire younger generations of girls to pursue the sport,” she said.
Head coach Conor Nestor views Guam as a strong opponent, pointing out that many of their players are physically larger and taller than the Kingdom’s players. This has made the Cambodian team even more eager and excited for the challenge.
The Boeung Ket coach remains optimistic about Cambodia’s chances, based on their performance at the 2024 AFF Women’s Championship, where Cambodia finished second in their group and qualified for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. As hosts, Cambodia will compete in Group G against Hong Kong, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.
“We saw that the Cambodian women’s team performed well at last year’s AFF Women’s Cup. One of the strengths of Cambodian women’s football is that Cambodia has a professional women’s league,” he told the Tuesday press conference.
“Some countries have developed men’s football well, but for women’s football, they still don’t have a professional women’s league. What we still lack is more competitive activity — both for men and women. Parents should also encourage their children to get involved in football from a young age. That’s very important,” he added.
Kimberly Sherman, head coach of the Guam side, also attended the press conference.
“We are fully prepared, and I believe the women’s football landscape in Cambodia is quite similar to Guam’s. I’m also aware of Cambodia’s strengths, so we’re excited for this match,” she said.
“We’ve learned a lot from our previous matches and are aiming to improve further in this friendly against Cambodia. It’s not easy to select players for the national team in Guam, so we’re happy to be here and compete in Cambodia,” added Guam representative Mihaela Perez.
