Myanmar
Strengths – Energy will be Myanmar’s main advantage coming into this game. The side will have had far more rest, seeing as this is their first game of the campaign, and will also be able to rely on home advantage as Cambodia must recuperate from their opening day loss to Malaysia.
Weaknesses – The side’s lack of experience could be a worry. Coach Antoine Hey is new to South-East Asian football, only having been in charge since May. The squad is also relatively young, and many players lack meaningful experience at this level.
Player to Watch – Aung Thu
The 22 year old is the crown jewel of football in Myanmar. After making a move to Police Tero FC in the Thai League, Aung Thu had a phenomenal opening half of the season. Even after trailing off under the management of Totchtawan Sripan in the latter period of the campaign, the diminutive winger still ended the campaign having scored an impressive 11 goals and setting up 8 for his teammates, topping the assist charts for his club.
Cambodia
Strengths – Despite losing in their opening match, Cambodia can take pride in how they limited Malaysia to only a single goal, keeping the likes of Safawi Rasid and and Norshahrul Tahala quiet for the majority of the match. A similar defensive performance may be enough to keep Myanmar at bay.
Weaknesses – Certain administrative decisions made by the Cambodian FA have fans across the region scratching their head. Despite officially being named as head coach, Keisuke Honda is currently playing (and scoring) for Melbourne Victory in the A-League, leaving “assistant coach” Felix Augustin Gonzalez to take charge of the side. The uncertainty surrounding the managerial situation may have a detrimental effect on the side.
Player to Watch (with explanation) – Soeuy Visal
A strong defense will be the key if Cambodia want to get anything from this tournament, and 23-year-old Soeuy Visal may be crucial to achieving that. All eyes will be on him and his defensive partners as they hope to keep Myanmar’s budding attacking talents at bay.
Prediction: It’s a hard one, but the extra flair and energy could make the difference and be the reason for a narrow home victory. Myanmar 2-1 Cambodia.