The moment(s) of truth

Cambodian referee Tuy Vichheka is someone I have a bee in my bonnet about. When he's not booking players on a whim and rattling up twelve or fourteen yellow cards in a match, with a couple of reds thrown in for good measure, he's making decisions that leave me speechless. One such decision, to disallow an Uche Prince Justine goal for Phnom Penh Crown on Saturday, that would've been in the running for goal of the season without a doubt, saw me demanding close analysis of replays of the incident on television pundit shows. There aren't any but you know what I mean. The Prince played two 1-2's with Oscar Mpoko to carve open the Khemara defence and powered home a finish in his typical bustling style. It was a superb goal but not in the eyes of Tuy Vichheka. He blew for a handball incident that only he saw and Nick Sells' excellent action shots posted here suggest that if a handball did occur, it was the arm of defender Sok Vannak that made contact with the ball. Typically, Vichheka then flashed the yellow card with his normal flourish, suggesting The Prince had sought to gain an illegal advantage. What poppycock. I will closely monitor the rest of the season where Tuy Vichheka is involved. This man needs to be watched.

Prince Justine (20) splits the Khemara defence with two 1-2's with Oscar Mpoko

The ball bounces up and onto the arm of Khemara defender Sok Vannak
The Prince brushes aside the challenge of Sok Vannak as he powers through

Prince Justine gets his shot away as he's challenged by Khemara's Kun Kuon

Goalkeeper Ly Sokheng is powerless to stop The Prince's goalbound effort

The Prince's ecstasy turns to acute disappointment as Tuy Vichheka disallows the goal and books the striker for deliberate handball
All photos courtesy of: http://www.nicksellsphotography.com