Cambodia will host Mongolia on Friday at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh in the first of a two-match friendly series between these two nations.
Neither side have claimed a positive result in 2024, with the Cambodians losing 4-1 to Guyana in March, while the Blue Wolves suffered a 3-0 defeat to Tanzania.
Match preview
With their 2026 World Cup aspirations already dashed, Cambodia will shift their focus to Asian Cup qualifying, and they have a pair of warm-up matches before that critical tie.
Despite losing their opening round tie to Pakistan (1-0 on aggregate) in 2026 World Cup qualifying, Felix Dalmas still has a chance to guide this team into the 2027 Asian Cup, as they face Sri Lanka in a two-leg playoff in September.
Cambodia are winless in their previous five matches in all competitions, finding the back of the net only once over that stretch.
Friday will be their first home fixture in Cambodia since October, with this side currently on a three-match unbeaten run at their National Olympic Stadium while failing to concede in their last two home contests in all competitions.
They have not had a lead in any of their previous five competitive fixtures and have not scored in the opening half since defeating Macau 4-0 in a friendly last September.
The Mongols are in the middle of a lengthy drought, going winless in their last eight matches in all competitions, seven of which wound up in defeat.
Over that stretch, they have only found the back of the net once, and that was against Georgia in March 2023 when they were thrashed 6-1.
Like the Cambodians, Ichiro Otsuka's men are out of 2026 World Cup contention, losing both of their first-round matches with Afghanistan 1-0, with four of their previous five defeats in all competitions yielding that exact result.
Their upcoming encounter will mark three years to the exact date of their last international triumph outside of Mongolia when they defeated Kyrgyzstan 1-0 in a 2021 World Cup qualifying fixture played in Japan.
They have only faced Cambodia once before, in a November 2019 friendly when Mongolia squandered a 1-0 lead, playing to a 1-1 draw.
Team News
Nop David and Nu Chenmakara were the only uncapped players selected for the Cambodian side for these friendlies, while Thierry Bin is two caps away from 50.
Sieng Chanthea had the only goal in their defeat to Guyana, his sixth with the national team, one fewer than Kouch Sokumpheak for seventh all-time.
Tsenguun Khandaa and Sereekhua Batmagni were the only players chosen for this encounter without a senior appearance on the Mongolia squad, while their most experienced player, Tsend-Ayuush Khurelbaatar, is eight appearances away from 50.
Baljinnyam Batbold has four goals for the national team, halfway towards the all-time record for this side currently held by Naranbold Nyam-Osor, while he would surpass Ganhuyag Serodyanjiv, Bayarzorig Davaa and Bayarjargal Oyunbat for sixth all-time with his next strike.
Cambodia possible starting lineup:
Kimhuy; Sophanat, Bin, Pisa; Krya, Chanpolin, Ogawa, Socheavila; Pisoth, Noron, Chanthea
Mongolia possible starting lineup:
Enkhtaivan; Orkhon, Purevdorj, Volodya, Chinzorig; Ganbold, Khurelbaatar, Sodmonkh; Batbold, Baatartsogt, Amaraa
We say: Cambodia 1-0 Mongolia
The Mongols are experiencing a scoring crisis at the moment and seem to be lacking their share of creativity and attacking prowess regardless of who they face.
Cambodia have not fared much better, but we project a narrow victory for them, given they will be at home, where they look more at ease at the back and in possession.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
