Brunei meet Sabah tonight

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, September 30, 2012

The National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) announced that the national team will be playing Sabah FA in a friendly match at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas at 8:15pm tonight.

Organised by the NFABD, with the cooperation of the Department of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports, the friendly game will serve as a good preparation for the upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers.

According to NFABD assistant general secretary Hj Mohd Taha Hj Mohd Tahir, the friendly game is free and open to the public.

"This is the last opportunity for the local fans to watch the team in action before they left for Yangon, Myanmar on Tuesday. National coach Kwon Oh-son is expected to have a good idea on the final 20 players to don the national jersey in the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers," said Hj Taha. - Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh

The Brunei Times

DPMM FC hit 'Home' run

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, September 30, 2012

DPMM FC have Adi Said to thank to for turning a thrilling S-League title race back in their favour after an incredible 3-2 comeback to record their first win against Home United FC this season at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last night.

DPMM FC looked to be heading for a 2-2 draw before 22-year-old Adi scored a sensational winning goal two minutes into added time.

Lack of composure as well as discipline in the first half made them vulnerable to the visitors. Then, however, came the kind of comeback we always associated DPMM FC with, one that crushed a determined Home United FC side and a victory that might help Brunei's only professional club to win their first S-League title.

"We believe that we are the best team and we can beat any team in this region. Tonight could be the history and tonight could be the night that we won the title," said Vjeran Simunic.

Trailing as early as the 13th minute after Senegalese-French striker Frederic Mendy put Home United in front, DPMM FC found themselves 2-0 down when Home Utd captain Shi Jia Yi converted from the penalty in the 45th minute. DPMM FC were also without their key central defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos when he lasted for 25 minutes before limping off the pitch with an injury.

Mendy was causing problems for DPMM FC and the home side found it hard to penetrate the visitor's defence prompting Simunic to substitute Rosmin Hj Khamis for Helmi Zambin after the half-time break.

Undaunted, DPMM FC mounted a comeback and saw striker Shahrazen Said find the net four minutes into the second half. Pouncing on a poor clearing punch, Shahrazen arched the ball over goalkeeper Lionel Lewis with a header. Patrick Roberto Daniel Da Silva leveled the score five minutes later with a header that left Lewis rooted to the spot.

DPMM FC's pursuit of winning the double appeared to be unraveling. They were devoid of ideas and destined, seemingly, for their fourth draw in the league this season. That Simunic sent on Adi from the bench was a measure of just how desperate they were to win the game.

Looking defeated, a few of the home fans started to make their way out of the stadium thinking that the match will ended up with a draw. But little did they knew that Adi became DPMM FC's hero when he scored his team's third and winning goal during injury time.

Adi was first to the ball during a scramble in the penalty box, scoring the winner and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Praising his players for their never-say-die attitude despite trailing by two goals, Simunic said that he was not impressed by the attendance at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last night.

"DPMM FC made the Brunei fans happy tonight after a bitter defeat to the Indonesian team last time. (And tonight) is a special game, not all football matches are like this."The Brunei Times

DPMM FC can't relax, says Simunic

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, September 29, 2012

HEAD coach Vjeran Simunic (pic) insists DPMM FC cannot afford a lapse in concentration when they meet Home United FC tonight at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas at 8:15pm.



"I expect my players to play smart and not to lose focus when they play against Home United tomorrow. They're one of the strongest teams in the S-League and it is always difficult to play against them. But we always trust ourselves that we can always get the three points," said Simunic.



Having won the Singapore League Cup in August by beating Geylang United FC 2-0 as they became the first team to claim the trophy for the second time, the Croatian has set his sight on winning the double by winning the S-League title this season.



"We are aiming for a double this season. We won the Singapore League Cup in August and we still have the chance to win the league. We were disappointed that we did not have the chance to challenge for the S-League title after winning the Singapore League Cup two years ago because of the FIFA suspension."



On current form, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that DPMM FC could actually win the league. With their S-League season now back on track after winning their last two matches against Tanjong Pagar (3-0) and Young Lions (3-1).



The last time the two sides met in the league was on April 19, a game which saw Frederic Mendy solitary goal give Home United a 1-0 win at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.



"I am sure that the football fans in the country are not happy following the Brunei National Team defeat in the friendly game against Indonesia. But I really hope that they will come for the game in full force, filling the stadium and cheering DPMM FC."



"It is going to be one of the toughest remaining games in the S-League for us. The referees for the past two games have made a mistakes and horrible decisions against us. We expect a good refereeing tomorrow," the DPMM FC head coach said.



Tales Ricarte dos Santos is expected to start in the game after featuring in DPMM FC 3-0 win over Tanjong Pagar United FC last Sunday. Ivan Jerkovic has won the trust of the DPMM FC supporters after getting his name onto the scoresheet in the past two games. Patrick Roberto Daniel Da Silva's recent form has significantly improved. Youngster Adi Said, Hendra Azam Md Idris and Najib Hj Tarif have shown rich promise for DPMM FC.



"Santos is back, he is in a good shape now. He played against Tanjong Pagar last week. Sairol (Sairol Sahari) and Salehuddin (Pg Salehuddin Pg Damit) will also be available for the game tomorrow. "The lineup will going to be similar to last week's game against Tanjong Pagar. We got strong players on the bench like Adi Said and Helmi Zambin," added Simunic.



At the same time Shahrazen Said has taken his scoring tally to 11 goals in the league this season while Azwan Salleh has gradually become one of the key players in DPMM FC title race this year. DPMM FC are now third in the league with 39 points and they can move to second place replacing Albirex Niigata if they beat Home United tonight. The Brunei Times 

Captain Najib apologises for defeat

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, September 28, 2012

NATIONAL team captain Najib Hj Tarif made a public apology following the woeful 5-0 defeat to Indonesia in a friendly match at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on Wednesday.

Brunei's inability to spark on the attack, and unable to sustain any pressure going forward, while losing possession far too easily was the main reason for the defeat.

Meanwhile Irfan Bachdim was the star for Indonesia, 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup runners up, as he bagged a hat-trick in the win.

Irfan put Indonesia in front after sending goalkeeper Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof the wrong way in a 23rd minute penalty he converted after being brought down in the box.

Brunei were a further 2-0 down in the first half after Indonesia's Vendry Ronaldo Mofu unleashed a powerful 30-yard shot which screamed into the goal after hitting the crossbar on its way in.

Indonesia added three more goals in the second half to make it 5-0.

By the time Irfan latched onto a Hendra Adi Bayauw pass and calmly slotted home after dribbling past the Brunei defenders in the 50th minute, some of the Bruneian support had begun leaving the stadium.

Hendra Adi would add goal number four after tapping home a square pass from Muhamad Nur Iskandar in 63rd minute before Irfan completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute of the game.

Brunei's Captain for the night, Najib Hj Tarif said that the players were wholly responsible for the defeat.

"All I can say is I am sorry for the fans that made it to the stadium on the night. We did not perform well in the game. It was not a good result and I am sorry to disappoint the fans," said an emotional Najib.

"There was no balance in our movement during the game. We did not work together in the game (either). We lost (our) focus, we did not create chances and our movement was too predictable. We were not nervous of playing against Indonesia," he said.

Instead he pointed towards the team's lack of playing time together as a more plausible explanation to their disappointing performance.

"This team is new. It was only formed for few months. I only got called up to join the national team last month. We need more time together and we are running out of time. We were without players from the DPMM FC (squad) and the result might have been different," Najib explained.

Brunei were without 9 DPMM FC players in the squad as they are preparing for Home United FC in the Singapore League (S-League) on Saturday, the game is considered the toughest of the four matches as the club close out their season.

"I am not taking anything away from the Indonesia team. They were the better team on that night. We (have) got to take responsibility of the defeat. Indonesia are technically better than us and they are always ahead of us in football. They are one of the strongest team in Southeast Asian region," said the Captain.

"We hope that this defeat will teach us lessons. I hope that the players will see this as a reason to work hard and bounce back in the tournament (AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier) in Myanmar," added Najib.

The Sultanate face Myanmar on Oct 5, Cambodia on Oct 9, Laos on Oct 11 and Timor Leste on Oct 13 in the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers.

All matches are set to be played at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon.The Brunei Times 

FOOTBALL Painful lesson for Brunei

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Continued on Page A35

Thursday, September 27, 2012

THE NATIONAL football team know they have a lot of work to do after being handed a 5-0 loss by Indonesia in a friendly last night.

Preparing for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar, the team has only been together for three months and it showed as they were picked apart by a slick and smooth Indonesian side.

All memories of the national Under-21 team's 2-0 win over Indonesia to lift the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy in March were firmly cast aside after the visitors commanding display, Irfan Bachdim impressing the most for the 2010 Suzuki Cup runners-up with a hat-trick at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.

The host's most glaring failure was their inability to spark on the attack, and losing possession far too easily and unable to sustain any pressure going forward, the team's inexperience was laid bare for the Indonesian-dominated crowd to see.

Playing with purpose and precision, Indonesia were easily able to create space and switch play with their sturdy central defensive pairing of Wahyu Wijiastanto and Handi Ramadhan ensuring goalkeeper Samsidar hardly broke a sweat.

Brunei were not at full-strength though, and perhaps the inclusion of nine DPMM FC players in last night's squad would have made a world of difference.

Indonesia also have more gears in them, as they came without strikers Bambang Pamungkas and Christian Gonzales and key players such as AFF 2010 Suzuki Cup MVP Firman Utina, Patrich Wanggai, Oktovianus Maniani, Titus Bonai, Ponaryo Astaman, Muhamad Ridwan, Ahmad Bustomi all of whom play for clubs in the breakaway Indonesian Super League (ISL).

"We always knew it was going to be hard going up against one of the region's top teams. Indonesia are at a different level in terms of ability and experience," admitted national coach Kwon Oh-son.

"We've only been training for a few months and we're improving everyday," added the South Korean before praising his players' spirit.

Kwon's counterpart's also paid tribute to his players' spirit, saying that their determination and desire were the main reasons they won last night.

"I expected them to work hard, and they did," said Nil Maizar when asked whether he was expecting such a lop-sided scoreline.

"The most important thing was that they played with their hearts and enjoyed the game. You can't play football if you are forced," he pointed out.

The only forcing the Indonesians did was onto their opponent's goal, with captain Elie Aboy sending in several dangerous crosses in the opening few minutes to set the tempo for the tie.

Unable to stretch play, Brunei were left pinging long-balls forward, none of which troubled the Indonesians' back line.

Irfan put Indonesia in front after sending goalkeeper Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof the wrong way in a 23rd minute penalty he converted after being brought down in the box and they headed into the break 2-0 up after Vendry Ronaldo Mofu unleashed a 30-yard cannonball which bounced into goal after hitting the crossbar easily the best goal of the night.

Brunei's defence was caught napping five minutes after the break when Irfan latched onto a Hendra Adi Bayauw pass and cooly slotted home after streaming past the Brunei defense and Hendra Adi woud make it 4-0 in the 63rd minute after tapping home a square pass from Muhamad Nur Iskandar.

Though it was shambolic defending, more shameful was the fact that that scores of Brunei fans took that as their cue to start streaming out of the stadium.

Irfan bagged his hat-trick in the 72nd minute after rounding Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi to cap off a string of passes which started with Muhamad Nur Iskandar and worked its way to Rahmat Syamsuddin Leo before finding the goalscorer.

Md Suhandi Hj Awang Mahali came in for Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi in the 76th minute, but judging from last night's performance, it will take more changes for Brunei to make any impact in Myanmar.The Brunei Times 

No Official "A" match for Brunei !

FIFA did not accept the friendly Brunei vs Indonesia as a official  International "A" match because not all 4 match officials were FIFA referees.

Brunei brace for momentous duel

Jason Thomas


BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, September 26, 2012


NOT ONLY will tonight's friendly match against Indonesia provide the national team a valuable warm-up ahead of next month's Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar, it will also give Brunei its first chance at precious FIFA ranking points in three years.


Though Brunei competed at last year's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia and the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy (HBT) in March which they won as hosts after beating Indonesia 2-0, the former was an Under-23 competition and the latter an Under-21 tournament.


Tonight's game at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas at 8:15pm, though, is a certified FIFA international friendly with a neutral FIFA referee (Malaysian Mohd Yussof Mat Karim) and a limit of six substitutes.


Brunei are 202nd in the 206-nation FIFA rankings while Indonesia are 168th, and a win will be a much-needed boost for the Sultanate who only had their three-year FIFA suspension lifted last year.


Though the national team pushed for unlimited substitutes during yesterday's manager's meeting, they only have to look to the Philippines to be reminded why limited substitutes and neutral referees are pre-requesites for a match to be being recognised as a FIFA international friendly, thus gaining ranking points.



The Philippines' GMA Network reported that the Philippines' match with Laos on Sept 10 was removed from the FIFA official list of fixtures after the latter used an unsanctioned referee. The Philippines' Sept 5 match against Cambodia where the Cambodians reportedly made seven substitutions also forced FIFA to cancel the game from the official fixtures as the maximum number of substitutions allowed in a game is six.



The last time the Sultanate played in a game of this stature was in May 2009 when they lost all three of their 2010 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup qualifying matches in Sri Lanka, going down to the hosts 5-1, Pakistan 6-0 and Chinese Taipei 5-0.


Fans will have to rewind to October 21, 2008 for Brunei's last win, a 4-1 result against Timor-Leste during that year's Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Cambodia. They started off with a 1-1 draw with the Philippines before beating Timor Leste and losing 3-2 to Laos. Cambodia would qualify at the expense of Brunei after beating them 2-1 in their final match, and the FIFA suspension prevented the country from lacing up in 2010.

The Indonesians head into tonight's tie as favourites having finished second in the last edition of the biennial tournament to Malaysia. They also have been spared the expense of qualifying and are drawn in the Nov 24-Dec 22 tournament proper with Malaysia, Singapore and whichever country places second in the qualifying rounds.

Indonesia's preparations for the AFF Suzuki Cup have been less than ideal though, having lost 2-0 to North Korea in Jakarta on Sept 10 and held to a 0-0 draw against Vietnam in Surabaya five days later.


Largely due to internal politics, their current squad is a rework of the one that ended as runners-up in 2010.



Their coach Nil Maizar, though, is confident his players have the quality to impress tonight.


Indonesia will still be grimacing about the HBT loss but it could have been a different story had Brunei not been strengthened by five over-age players and spurred on by a fantastic home crowd.



Though Brunei's assistant coach admitted he did not know much about the current Indonesian team, he was sure that their opponents' pedigree spoke for itself.


"We only know that they finished second during the last Suzuki Cup," said Rosanan Samak.


"I prefer to focus on my own team. I know we might not have nine DPMM FC players available for selection so that will affect our strategy ... (but) for me and my coaching staff, we believe we can challenge Indonesia." The Brunei Times ..

We are not afraid, declares Kwon

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

KWON Oh-son is relishing the opportunity to lock horns with Indonesia tomorrow night.

The national football team take on Indonesia in a friendly match at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas, and despite the Merah Putih long regarded as one of the powerhouses in the region, the Wasps' coach insists his players have nothing to fear in what will be their biggest game in years.

The match is being held as part of the team's preparations for next month's ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar, with the team also having competed in six friendlies against Malaysian club sides earlier this month.

"We are not afraid," declared the South Korean after yesterday's training session.

"Any country, any team. We are not afraid!

"The players will be very happy to see a packed stadium and they'll be fully motivated and focused.

"Just look at what happened during the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy (HBT)," smiled Kwon, referring to the national Under-21 team's 2-0 win over Indonesia in March to clinch the tournament for the first time in front of huge home support.

It is easy to see why Kwon oozes confidence.

He surprised the nation by leading the Under-21 team to victory in the HBT, and during the friendlies in Malaysia, held Malaysian Super League champions Kelantan to a 1-1 draw.

"Those friendlies were important for two things," he explained.

"They gave us confidence and they gave us international match experience.

"Right now during training we're working a lot on defensive and attacking organisation as well as controlling and changing tempo," he added.

His familiarity with the players many of whom featured in the HBT team is also another reason the tactician seems so assured of himself, as is the fact that the squad has been strengthened by the dozen DPMM FC players who joined the team last week.

However, only goalkeeper Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yusof and midfielders Ak Mohammad Fakharrazi Pg Hj Hassan, Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris and Mohd Najib Hj Tarif will be available for selection tomorrow night.

Brunei's only professional club, DPMM FC take on Home United FC in the Singapore League (S-League) on Saturday, the game the toughest of the four matches for the club as they close out the season.

DPMM FC lie second in the 13-team S-League while Home are four points adrift at fourth.

Trailing league leaders and defending champions Tampines Rovers FC by seven points, DPMM FC have a genuine shot at winning the S-League title, and though it would take a slip-up from Tampines for them to do so, Kwon is rooting for the reigning Singapore League Cup champions to make it a double.

"I am grateful to have DPMM FC players to call upon," he said.

"DPMM FC have an important game against Home United and they are second in the S-League. I want them to win the game, and then the S-League. That's the goal.

"For us, our goal is to qualify for the Suzuki Cup.

"These are two teams trying to achieve their target.

"We are both trying to do our best and develop Brunei football at the same time."

The Brunei Times 

DPMM FC climb to second place after win FOOTBALL

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, September 24, 2012

AN IVAN Jerkovic (pic) brace inspired DPMM FC shift to second in the Singapore League (S-League) after a 3-0 win over Tanjong Pagar United FC last night.

The team's top scorer Shahrazen Said netted his 11th goal of the season in the 65th minute at the Queenstown Stadium in Singapore before the Croatian midfielder netted a quick-fire brace in the 79th and 82nd minute bringing his tally of Asian goal to 52 since 2006.

Trailing league leaders and defending champions Tampines Rovers FC who were held to a 1-1 draw against Gombak United FC on Saturday night by seven points, the S-League title is still mathematically possible for the League Cup champions who have four more games left to play. Brunei's only professional club enjoy a two-point lead over third-placed Japanese outfit Albirex Niigata (S) FC and a four-point advantage over Home United, Harimau Muda and Balestier Khalsa FC.

More importantly, the team are sure to achieve their target of a Top-5 finish in the league after sitting the past two seasons out.

Tanjong Pagar made DPMM FC work for their 3-2 win the last time the two teams met in the S-League on April 13, coming back from 3-0 down to 3-2 after scoring two goals in three minutes. Although last night's loss left Tanjong Pagar 11th in the 13-team S-League, DPMM head coach Vjeran Simunic felt the result wasn't a true reflection of their opponent's class.

The Croatian felt his team's training has been disrupted by the release of 12 players for the national team for next month's ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar, making the win even more sweeter.

"I think it was our hardest game in six months," insisted Simunic.

"Tanjong Pagar played a fantastic game, just like the one in Brunei.

"They were very motivated and very good. They gave 200 per cent but we gave 300!

"It was a very big fight and I'm very proud of the team.

"We won our last two games so now we're in good form ahead of our next game against Home United," he added.

DPMM FC face Home on Sunday the last S-League match until the competition takes a break for the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar.

They then end their campaign with games against Woodlands Wellington (Oct 21), Hougang United FC (Oct 24) and the season-ending Nov 2 tie against Balestier.

Geylang United FC beat Young Lions (Singapore national Under-23 team) 2-0 in last night's other game at the Bedok Stadium in Singapore thanks to a 20th minute strike from Shah Hirul and a goal four minutes from time by Jozef Kaplan.

Geylang remain 12th in the S-League while the Young Lions lie two spots ahead.

The Brunei Times

Brunei to play Indonesia as AFF Cup tune up

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, September 22, 2012

- Match to be held on September 26

THE National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) announced that the national team will be playing Indonesia in a friendly match at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas on Sept 26.

NFABD, with the cooperation of the Department of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports, held a media conference for the friendly match at the NFABD House along Jalan Pusat Persidangan in Berakas yesterday.

The friendly games will serve as good preparation for the upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers, a competition which Brunei has not participated since 2008 after having to sit out the 2010 edition due to suspension.

"The aim for organising this friendly match is to help the national squad prepare for the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers and also to give football fans in the Sultanate, including the Indonesian fans, the opportunity to come and watch their national football teams in action," said NFABD general secretary Mohd Noor Hj Abdullah.

According to NFABD assistant general secretary Hj Mohd Taha Hj Mohd Tahir, the tickets for the friendly will be available at the NFABD House along Jalan Pusat Persidangan in Berakas, Mumong JBS Sports Complex in Kuala Belait, Batu Apoi JBS Sports Complex in Temburong and Tutong JBS Sports Complex.

Pricing for the tickets will be $5 and $8.

"Spectators are advised that cans, bottles, banners, flags, poles, umbrellas, fireworks, air horns, whistles, drums and musical instruments are prohibited from being brought into the stadium," said Hj Mohd Taha.

"All the personal bags and parcels are subjected to be checked at the gates. We are expecting 25 000 fans to attend the game," added the assistant general secretary.

Brunei failed to advance past the qualifying rounds in the 2008 edition of the competition and will be eyeing a berth into this year's group stages when they play Myanmar on Oct 5, Cambodia on Oct 9, Laos on Oct 11 and Timor Leste on Oct 13.

All the matches will be played at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon, Myanmar.

The Brunei Times 

MS ABDB power into semi-finals

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, September 22, 2012

THE Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) booked their berth into the semi-finals of the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) Redbull Futsal Championship 2012 with a 6-0 romping of FC Phosphor last night.

Arima Marali shone the brightest for the armyment, his hat-trick within the first ten minutes (6th, 9th and 10th), setting the tone for the entire duration of the match at the Multipurpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

Teammates Fadzil Ismail, Abu Yazid and Abdul Qayyum also found the back of the net to set MS ABDB in a final-four match against Kota Junior on Monday.

"It was a balanced game and the difference is that we did not make mistakes. I am proud of my players for that," said MS ABDB manager Pg Muhd Mufid Pg Hj Umar Ariffin.

"Both teams are capable of scoring goals. But we managed to get the early goals, (allowing us to) control the game and capitalise on their mistakes.

"Arima was the star tonight. He scored three goals in the game and he contributed in the other two goals too," added the manager who is expecting a tough semi-final test.

"We have played with Kota Junior in past tournaments. It is going to be a tough game and it is hard to predict how the match will be since the players keep on changing. But I am very sure that it is going to be a tough game for us," said Pg Muhd Mufid.

MS ABDB were impressive with their passes and ball control throughout the game.

Arima opened the scoring in the 6th minute by beating FC Phosphor goalkeeper Mohd Izzan Syafiq via a free kick.

He added his second of the night on the ninth minute before completing his hat-trick just one minute later, scoring from the left after a great pass from Fadzil.

Arima turned provider when his through ball set up teammate Fadzil with a one-on-one against the keeper in the 28th minute.

Abdul Qayyum then made it 5-0 in the 31st minute before Abu Yazid scored two minutes from time to seal the win for MS ABDB.-Ak Fauzi Pg SallehThe Brunei Times 

Club manager explains reason for late call up

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

DPMM FC manager Ali Hj Momin has attributed the late drafting of the 12 DPMM FC players into Brunei's Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup squad due to the hectic Singapore League schedule.

"The players were looking forward to be involved in the AFF national team. But the S-league tight schedule would mean that we need all the players to be available throughout the games," said the manager. MANAGER Ali Hj Momin has moved to explain the reason that led to the late drafting of 12 DPMM FC players to the Brunei Darussalam's ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup team.

In an interview with The Brunei Times on Monday, the manager revealed that the tight fixture of the Singapore League is the reason for the delayed moves.

"The players were looking forward to be involved in the AFF national team. But the S-league tight schedule would mean that we need all the players to be available throughout the games," said the manager.

"Hj Mohd Subhi Abdillah Hj Mohd Bakir has announced that he will not be in the national team. The players currently train with the national team in the morning while in the afternoon they will train with us (DPMM FC).

"I wish all the players, including the current national AFF Suzuki Cup team the best in the tournament. I hope that they will qualify and bring good name to the country."

The manager also lauded the timing of the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifying matches and it is a welcome break for the club.

The manager faces a number of injury concerns and is hopeful that he will be getting his players back when the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier ends.

"We got two games left against Tanjong Pagar (September 23) and Home United (September 29) before the break. Pg Sallehuddin Pg Hj Damit and Tales Ricarte dos Santos played in the game against Young Lions. They are not 100 per cent yet but the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier will give the players the time to get their fitness back," he added.

DPMM FC defeated Young Lions 3-1 last week. DPMM FC captain Rosmin Kamis, left-back Sairol Hj Sahari and Croatian midfielder Ivan Jerkovic scored to seal three valuable points as they head into the final five games of the season.

The Sultanate face Myanmar on Oct 5, Cambodia on Oct 9, Laos on Oct 11 and Timor Leste on Oct 13 in the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers.

All matches are set to be played at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon. The Brunei Times 

DPMM FC's Jerkovic hits Asian scoring milestone

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

IVAN Jerkovic's (pic) 50th Asian goal couldn't have come at a better time for the DPMM FC fan-favourite.

The Croatian central-midfielder netted the third goal during the 3-1 win over Young Lions in their Singapore League (S-League) match last week, the result was only their second victory in seven S-League games since the start of the second round in June.

The goal came after Ghanian striker Osman Basiru pounced on a weak back pass to the Young Lions goalkeeper and laid the ball off to Jerkovic, with DPMM FC captain Rosmin Kamis and left-back Sairol Hj Sahari putting the visitors in front after Benjamin Kristoffersen Lee gave the hosts a 64th minute lead at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.

Jerkovic started his journey in Asia back in 2006 when he signed for Sarawak and netted four times, going on to play for Indonesian outfit Pelita Jaya FC (12 goals) and Royal Malaysian Police Force (Polis Diraja Malaysia/PDRM) (three goals) over the next two years.

His first stint with DPMM FC saw him net 12 times but the country's suspension by FIFA in 2009 and DPMM FC's subsequent expulsion from the S-League forced him to move to eight-time S-League champions Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) FC, where he found the back of the net 15 times over the course of one and a half years.

He moved back to Brunei's only professional club when FIFA lifted its suspension last year, and his fourth goal this season marked half a century of strikes for the 33-year-old. "It's very nice to have scored 50 goals ... I'm a midfielder, not a striker, but I still like attacking football," he said yesterday.

"Our tactics now are different from 2009. Rosmin and I now play more defensively because we have three strikers, so there's not much space to go forward.

"Back in 2009, we only played with two strikers. So now I only have chances to score from free-kicks, penalties and long-range shots.

"I don't really set myself a target of goals at the start of the season though.

"When I was younger I always wanted to score goals, but now winning trophies is the most important thing for me," he admitted.

Winning trophies he has two Singapore League Cup titles with DPMM FC probably wasn't the first thing on his mind when he moved from Croatia to Kuching in 2006 though, explaining that it was more for a change of scenery than anything else.

"I was playing in Croatia for too many years and I thought it was time for a change," he explained.

"An agent from Malaysia told me Sarawak were looking for a midfielder, so I signed a four-month contract and I thought I would leave after that.

"But that's football, you never know what's going to happen." The Brunei Times

13 DPMM FC players named in AFF Cup team

AK Fauzi Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, September 17, 2012

BRUNEI manager Hj Feisal Hj Eusoff (pic) has announced a surprise inclusion of 13 DPMM FC players in the Sultanate team for the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup.

The announcement has come as a huge relief for the football fans in the Sultanate. However, the decision to include the players in the current squad just a few weeks before the tournament has raised a few eyebrows.

Speaking to The Brunei Times last night, the national team manager Hj Feisal Hj Eusoff said the management had approached the DPMM FC to help Brunei kick off their AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier in Yangon, Myanmar, on October 5.

DPMM FC hitman Shahrazen Hj Md Said, midfielder Rosmin Hj Khamis, defender Sairol Sahari, Hj Muhd Subhi Abdillah Hj Bakir and goalkeeper Wardun Yussof are among the names mentioned by the manager.

"We discussed this matter with the management from the DPMM FC recently and they are willing to release 13 players to train with us. This is very good news for us. It is a blessing," said the manager.

"We only have few weeks left before the tournament and we need to gather all the players to be in the team. The current squad, together with the players from the DPMM FC will train in the morning. The squad will continue their training in the afternoon, while players from DPMM FC will train with their club in the afternoon." Brunei are scheduled to play Indonesia on September 26. That will provide the manager with only few weeks to work with the squad and put the finishing touches to his preparations with the final squad only to be announced a day before the squad leaves for Myanmar.

"The management and the head coach Kwon Oh-son are looking forward to welcome the players to train with the national squad. We will be expecting them to train with us every morning starting this Monday."

"The National Football Association Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) plans to organise a friendly match against Indonesia on September 26. We look forward to work with these players and to see how the team will shape ahead of the tournament," he said.

"Once again, we would like to thank the DPMM FC management and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, for allowing the players to be in the national team," he added.


Hj Feisal has included three DPMM FC players, midfielders Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris, Mohd Najib Hj Tarif and goalkeeper Md Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof in the squad last month to play in a series of friendly games in Malaysia from September 1 to 13.

Now that the 13 players have been added, the national team manager Hj Feisal and head coach Kwon Oh-son will need to give serious thought to the final selection of the much-changed squad. The Brunei Times

Brunei grabs draw in M'sia FOOTBALL

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, September 14, 2012

JULREMI Hj Zaini netted a late equaliser as Brunei came from behind to draw 1-1 with the Malaysian Universities Sports Council (MASUM) in a warm-up game ahead of the month's ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar.

In an encounter between two sides, MASUM took the lead early in the first half. However, Brunei pushed hard for an equaliser and they were rewarded when Julremi fired home a right-footer in the 79th minute after connecting with a great cross from fullback Azri Zahari from the right side of the field.

Having watched his side lose 2-0 to the Malaysia Premier League side, Pos Malaysia FC on Monday, the national team manager Hj Feisal Hj Eusoff was pleased with his side's display at the UiTM campus in Shah Alam, Malaysia on Wednesday.

"This could be one of our very important matches in the preparation for the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers in October because I can see that the players started to show their commitment and discipline in the game," said Hj Feisal.

"Even though we only managed to draw, the players put a very good performance. They worked very hard in the game. They were resilient and look more confident with the ball this time around."

The national team were without key players such as Md Azwan Ali Rahman, Muhammad Maududi Hilmi Kasmi, Muhd Nurikhwan Othman and Redzuan Hj Petara who are still out with injury. The national team were also missing their captain Najib Hj Tarif and midfielder Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris who were called up by DPMM FC to prepare for the Singapore League (S-League) game against Young Lions.

"Five of my players are still out with injuries while Najib and Mohd Hendra Azam have to go back to Brunei for the S-League game. We only have four subs available for the game and two of them are goalkeepers," said Hj Feisal.

"We learnt a lot from this trip. We are going to have few meetings with coaches to assess everything and hopefully to improve the performance of the players individually and as a team," added the manager.

The Sultanate's last participation in the region's most prestigious tournament came in 2008, when they failed to advance to the main draw after being held to one win, a draw and two losses during the qualifiers in Cambodia. The Brunei Times

DPMM FC closes gap on S-League champions Tampines

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, September 14, 2012

DPMM FC closed the gap on Singapore League (S-League) leaders Tampines Rovers FC with a 3-1 win over Young Lions last night.

Still third in the S-League, DPMM FC are now only three points adrift of the defending champions and current leaders - though the Stags, like second placed Albirex Niigata (S) FC, have played a game more.

Benjamin Kristoffersen Lee gave the hosts a 64th minute lead at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore only for DPMM FC captain Rosmin Kamis to equalise in the 71st minute. Left-back Sairol Hj Sahari gave the visitors the lead three minutes later and a 85th minute strike from Croatian Ivan Jerkovic would seal three valuable points as they head into the final five games of the season.

Brunei's only professional club have had a year to remember after capturing the Singapore League Cupfor the second time in August, but their recent form in the league where they have taken only four out of a possible 18 points since the second round kicked off on June 15 hasn't been anything to write home about.

"We feel good to be back to our winning ways," confided coach Vjeran Simunic.

"Now our focus is on preparing for Tanjong Pagar United FC (on September 23) before a tough game against Home United FC (on September 29)," was all he would say when asked what he felt about cutting the gap at the top of the table.

The loss leaves Young Lions, the Singaporean national Under-23 team, 10th in the table.

Simunic, though, feels their league standing is not an indicator of their true strength.

"They are one of the best teams in the league with four fantastic imports Lee one of them," praised the Croatian.

"This team is the future of Singapore football so I'm very proud we beat them ... It's a good day for Brunei football.

"I'm also very happy we were able to come back from 1-0 down to win the game," he added.

Injury concerns to key players midfielder Azwan Salleh was left in Brunei with a knee injury threatened to derail the team's plans in Singapore. Happily for Simunic, those concerns were put to the backburner last night.

"I want to thank (defender) Tales Ricarte dos Santos for playing. He was injured but he still played despite the doctor telling him not to ... Rosmin too," beamed Simunic. "He's a real captain!"

"(Defender) Pg Sallehuddin Pg Hj Damit also did well today despite not playing for a long time.

"I can't say any of of them deserves the Man of the Match award, they all do! From (goalkeeper) Wardun Yussof to (striker) Patrick Roberto Daniel Da Silva, they are all the 'Man of the Match'," he insisted.

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) FC went past Woodlands Wellington FC 2-1 in last night's other game at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium in Singapore, the eight-time S-League champions consolidating their place in seventh with the win while Woodlands remain rooted to the bottom of the table. The Brunei Times

Fatigue takes its toll on team

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

MANAGER Hj Feisal Hj Eusoff admitted Brunei team suffered a fatigue after his side were defeated 2-0 by Pos Malaysia FC in a friendly match at the University Putra Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The team are preparing for next month's ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar.

"The team just got back from Kelantan yesterday. They have not recovered from the game and they did not have enough rest. We lost 2-0 today but it is mainly because the players have not recovered from the Kelantan game," said Hj Faisal

The manager believes his squad had shown a bit of mental and physical fatigue after they held the Malaysian Super League (MSL) champions Kelantan 1-1 at the Sultan Mohammad IV Stadium, Kota Bharu on Saturday.

"We had a bit of mental and physical fatigue because we had not completely recovered, and that happens sometimes. We lacked a bit of accuracy in our passing and the players were unsettled in the game."

The fatigue also forced head coach Kwon Oh-soon to field second strings against the Malaysia Premier League side.

"We decided to let the reserves play in the first half of the game, but they look unsettled and it forced us to bring some of the first 11 players in the second half," said Hj Feisal.

"We brought in Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris and captain Mohd Najib Hj Tarif in the second half, but they could not change the game as they are not yet recovered from the last Saturday's game.

"Md Azwan Ali Rahman, Muhammad Maududi Hilmi Kasmi, Muhd Nurikhwan Othman and Redzuan Hj Petara are still out with injury, but the positives are we have shown an exceptional spirit and desire in the game. We will play against the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) selected players on Wednesday (tomorrow). They held the Harimau Muda to a 1-1 draw recently," added the manager.

The AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers will see five teams compete for two spots in the Nov 24-Dec 22 tournament proper which will be co-hosted by Malaysia and Thailand.

The Sultanate face Cambodia on Oct 9, Laos on Oct 11 and Timor Leste on Oct 13.

All matches set to be played at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon.

The Brunei Times 

Kelantan draw impresses FOOTBALL team manager

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, September 10, 2012

HJ FEISAL Hj Eusoff had a lot to be happy about with Brunei's 1-1 draw with Malaysian Super League champions Kelantan on Saturday.

The national team are in Malaysia for a series of friendlies ahead of next month's Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar, and speaking to The Brunei Times yesterday, the team's manager felt that the side is on the right track especially with the team set to play Malaysian Premier League leaders Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia/ATM) tomorrow and facing Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in a rematch of a match the visitors won 1-0 on Sept 3.

"It was a good result," he said of the Kelantan match.

"We played very well against a team which had four foreign players, and the first half was excellent with good passes and set pieces.

"We weren't as stable in the second half because we didn't have much time to rest after playing Harimau Muda (Malaysian national Under-23 team) on Wednesday.

"Some of the players were still recovering from that match... But overall you can see the team is performing.

"We play two more games (and) my concern is not about winning.

"I want to see confidence in the players, see that they are exposed (to other teams) and gel as a team," added Hj Feisal.

The side started off with a 4-1 win over Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia/TLDM) on Sept 1 and followed it up with a 1-0 result against UiTM two days later.

Kwon Oh-son's men went down to the Singapore League's Harimau Muda 4-1 on Wednesday before coming from behind to force a draw against Kelantan.

Ghanaian striker Denni Agyari Antwi gave the hosts a 20th minute lead only for Brunei's full back Azri Zahari to even the scores after converting a 38th minute cross.

Kelantan were without key players such as striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, midfielder Mohd Shakir Shaari and defenders Nik Shahrul Azim and S Subramaniam who were called up to train with the Malaysian national team but Hj Feisal admitted Brunei had selection problems of their own.

The loss of several midfielders during the Harimau Muda tie meant that the team couldn't field their strongest 11 against Kelantan, a fact the manager was quick to point out.

"Talking about the Harimau Muda game ... Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris had a muscle strain and Mohd Najib Hj Tarif was down with fever and they only played the first half," said Hj Feisal.

"We also had injuries to players like Md Azwan Ali Rahman, Muhammad Maududi Hilmi Kasmi and Muhd Nurikhwan Othman so it was difficult for us to set a strategy," he said, adding that the players have since recovered.

The team will return on Friday.

The Brunei Times 

Kelantan 1-1 Brunei

Kelantan (Malaysia ) drew Brunei NT 1-1

Harimau Muda A bite into Brunei's perfect record

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh


BANDAR SERI BEGAW
Thursday, September 6, 2012

HARIMAU Muda A delivered Brunei their first defeat in three games yesterday at the UiTM campus in Shah Alam, Malaysia.
The national team lost 4-1 to the Malaysian Under-22 side as part of their preparations for next month's Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar.

The young tigers started off brightly in the game with Tamil Arhasu finding the back of the net just eight minutes into the game.

Wan Zaharul Nizam would make it 2-0 for the homeside just 10 minutes later.

Brunei would claw one back just before halftime, Mohd Julremi Hj Zaini scoring his debut goal for the national team to half their deficit to 2-1 in the 43rd minute.

Their jubilation was short lived though with Sarvindran scoring the third goal for Harimau Muda in the 63rd minute, re-establishing the two-goal cushion for his team.

Ferris Danial would make it 4-1 seal the win and end all hopes of a late Brunei comeback.

The Sultanate will next face last season's Malaysian Super League (MSL) champion Kelantan at the Sultan Muhammad IV stadium in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Brunei's last participation in the region's most prestigious tournament came in 2008, when they failed to advance to the main draw after being held to one win, one draw and two losses during the qualifiers in Cambodia.

This year's campaign will see them play hosts Myanmar in their opening match on Oct 5.

Cambodia will be next on the schedule on Oct 9 followed by Laos and Timor Leste on Oct 11 and Oct 13 respectively.

All matches are scheduled to kick off at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon.

Malaysia are the tournament's defending champions after beating Indonesia 4-2 on aggregate in 2010.


It was their first time lifting the cup since the tournament first kicked off in 1996.

The defending champions and co-hosts will play 2010 runners-up Indonesia, three-time winners Singapore and the second-placed team from the qualifying tournament in Group B of the AFF Suzuki Cup from November 24 to December 1.


The Brunei Times



..

Brunei lost to Harimau Muda

Brunei NT lost 1-4 to Harimau Muda (Malaysia U23) this Wednesday in Malaysia

Brunei show improvement

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

THE national team edged Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) 1-0 yesterday in the second of four friendlies ahead of next month's Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers.

Ak Safri Pg Othman was the difference for the Sultanate in their match at the UiTM campus in Shah Alam, Malaysia, scoring the only goal after connecting on an 80th minute corner-kick from the left.

The national team was also boosted by the addition of three DPMM FC players for yesterday's match; midfielders Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris, Mohd Najib Hj Tarif and goalkeeper Md Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof.

The team started their stint in Malaysia with a 4-1 win over ATM (Malaysian Armed Forces) on Saturday and will face Harimau Muda (Malaysian national Under-23 team) tomorrow and Kelantan on Saturday.

Despite the 4-1 win over ATM, left-back Hj Yusof Hj Mat Yassin felt the team still had areas to improve on - passing being one of them.

Talking to The Brunei Times last night the defender was happy that the team has managed to do just that.

"Alhamdullilah, we have managed to improve," he said.

"Insyallah, we will train harder as we prepare to face Harimau Muda on Wednesday (tomorrow)," he added.

Harimau Muda are fresh off a 4-1 win over eight-time Singapore League (S-League) champions Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) FC during their S-League tie last week, and many local football fans will still remember the 2-1 win the Malaysians inflicted DPMM FC Brunei's only professional club last month.

Kelantan are also another team that should need no introduction having won the Malaysian Super League (MSL) last season.

Matches against quality opponents of this nature will only help the national team which was only formed a few months ago as they prepare for the AFF qualifiers, the country's biggest test in years.

Brunei are making their return to the competition after sitting out the last edition in 2010 due to suspension.

The Sultanate's last participation in the region's most prestigious tournament came in 2008, when they failed to advance to the main draw after being held to one win, one draw and two losses during the qualifiers in Cambodia.

This year's campaign will see them meet hosts Myanmar in their opening match on Oct 5, Cambodia on Oct 9, Laos on Oct 11 and Timor Leste on Oct 13 - all matches set to be played at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon.

Malaysia are the tournament's defending champions after beating Indonesia 4-2 on aggregate during 2010, lifting the cup for the tournament first kicked off in 1996.

The Brunei Times 

Brunei look to improve on passing ahead of AFF tourney FOOTBALL

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, September 3, 2012

BRUNEI ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki team look to improve on their passing game when they meet Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in a friendly match today.

The national team are currently in Malaysia to play several friendly matches as they step up their preparation for the upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup Qualifier Campaign in Yangon, Myanmar.

"We have been training at the UiTM (Universiti Teknologi MARA) football field for the past few days. Preparation has been good and we are ready to face the UiTM football team tomorrow," said left back Hj Yusof Hj Matyassin in an interview with The Brunei Times last night.

"We are looking to improve our passing in this game. We won against the ATM (Malaysian Armed Forces) yesterday. There are some areas that we still need to work on. We need to improve on our passing and through ball in the game."

The national team defeated Malaysia Armed Forces (ATM) 4-1 in their first friendly match in Perak on Saturday. Hamizan Aziz Sulaiman scored a brace in the win and Md Aqmal Hakeem Abd Hamid and Affendy Akup produced strong performances of their own to score one apiece in the win.

The national team has been boosted by the addition of the three DPMM FC players in today's game against UiTM. The national team will be joined by midfielders Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris, Mohd Najib Hj Tarif and goalkeeper Md Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof.

"Najib, Hendra and Fakhrul are good players. With these new players, we hope to win all the friendly matches. Harimau Muda and Kelantan will be our biggest challenge and we need to focus," said Hj Yusof.

The Sultanate will face Cambodia on Oct 9, Laos on Oct 11 and Timor Leste on Oct 13. All matches will be played at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon.

Malaysia beat Indonesia 4-2 on aggregate to clinch the last edition of the tournament in 2010, lifting the cup for the first time since the AFF-organised tournament was inaugurated in 1996.The Brunei Times 

Brunei shoot past ATM

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN



Sunday, September 2, 2012

 HAMIZAN Aziz Sulaiman was superb for Brunei in their first friendly against Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), scoring a brace to power the Sultanate to a 4-1 win in Perak yesterday.

Teammates Md Aqmal Hakeem Abd Hamid and Affendy Akup produced strong performances of their own to put their names on the scoresheet in the rout.

One would figure that the Brunei Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup team would only grow from strength to strength with the much anticipated help from DPMM FC set to join the team for their remaining friendlies against Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Harimau Muda (Malaysia's Under-21 football squad) and Kelantan.

DPMM FC midfielders Mohd Hendra Azam Mohd Idris, Mohd Najib Hj Tarif and goalkeeper Md Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof departed from the Brunei International Airport in Berakas yesterday to join their teammates for UiTM's game on Monday in the build up to their upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier campaign in Yangon, Myanmar.

Having successfully captained Brunei to the top during March's Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy (HBT), Mohd Najib Hj Tarif pledged to do the same for the national side in the tournament.

"I feel very lucky and happy to be involved in the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier team this year. I will give my best in the tournament and I hope that I would be able to help and support the squad in some ways. I also would like to thank His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, for allowing us to be involved in the tournament," said Mohd Najib.

It shouldn't take much for the former HBT skipper to gel with the squad, many of whom were past teammates.

"I know a lot of players in the squad. Some of them are players from the HBT squad and some are my friends and I don't think that I will have any problems in adjusting myself to the team. This is a big tournament for our country and there are a number of senior players in the team too. It would be better if they select the senior players to be the captain for the team," said Najib.

A captain has yet to be named for the team.

Goalkeeper Md Fakhrul Zulhazmi meanwhile was under no illusions that he would be guaranteed a spot in the starting line-up in the tournament.

"There are three goalkeepers in the squad at the moment. All of them are very good. I am not sure if I am going to be in the starting line-up but I will give my best for the team," said Md Fakhrul Zulhazmi.

The AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers will see five teams compete for two spots in the Nov 24-Dec 22 tournament proper which will be co-hosted by Malaysia and Thailand.

The Sultanate face Cambodia on Oct 9, Laos on Oct 11 and Timor Leste on Oct 13.

All matches set to be played at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon.

The Brunei Times

Down but surely not out

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, September 1, 2012

TWO PENALTIES, one red card, and a whole lot of emotion at the end of the night, all it made for was one miserable point for DPMM FC.

Ten-man DPMM FC were made to work for last night's 1-1 draw with Gombak United FC, the result, a bitter pill for Vjeran Simunic's men to swallow after Shahrulrizal Abd Rahman was sent to the showers in the 54th minute by referee W Ravisanthiran who, only after consulting with the linesman and fourth official, felt the right-back deserved a straight red for bringing down Julien Durand and preventing a scoring opportunity, which only video replays will confirm was at the edge of the box or inside.

Despite left-back Sairol Hj Sahari also backtracking after captain and makeshift libero Rosmin Kamis lost the ball in midfield,and like Shahrulrizal, was involved in stopping Durand meaning the right-back was not the last man did not matter to the Singaporean referee.

The Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas rose as one when Wardun Yussof saved Mustaqim Manzur's penalty, but it might have been too much to ask from the goalkeeper to save the second.

Rosmin brought down Ahmad Suhaimi in the 80th minute, the substitute perhaps reacting too dramatically to contact though Ravisanthiran didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot this time.

Gombak's Nigerian-born Singaporean team captain Gabriel Obadin Aikhena confidently stepped up to convert the visitor's second penalty, shooting low and to the right as Wardun dived to the left.

The penalty cancelled out a superb 48th minute opener from Shahrazen Said, the striker netting his 10th S-League goal of the season after receiving a pass from Croatian midfielder Ivan Jerkovic and letting rip from outside the box with Gombak goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam unable to prevent the shot from nestling in the top-left corner.

DPMM FC remain third in the 13-team S-League, one point above Home United, while the Bulls move up one spot to ninth.

Looking at the bigger picture, DPMM FC must have been hoping that last month's successful Singapore League Cup run would motivate them for the rest of the S-League season but surely the high from that win has now worn off, as have memories of their lead atop the Singapore League (S-League) at the start of the campaign.

The draw means that DPMM FC now have a dismal record of one win, one draw and four losses to show from their last six S-League games, the poor point-tally coinciding with their first match of the S-League's second round, a 1-0 loss to titleholders Tampines Rovers on June 15.

The draw also left DPMM FC coach Simunic fuming at the opposition bench at the final whistle, shouting at members of the Gombak bench and declaring that the result was tainted.

"My players are heros!," he declared after he had settled down.

"All my players deserve an excellent mark.

"Wardun saved the first penalty and I am very sorry he didn't save the second.

"Maybe now we have lost the chance for a double but we are still alive. Football in Brunei will never die!

"We played with only two imports against a team with plenty of imports ... Again, we were very unlucky with the decisions," conceded the Croatian, who was forced to play without Brazilian centre-back Tales Ricarte dos Santos and Ghanian striker Osman Basiru due to a mixture of injuries and suspension, though Md Hendra Azam Md Idris certainly made his mark in midfield and Shahrazen's brother Adi was a threat throughout.

Simunic would later go on to congratulate his counterpart K Balagumaran at the tunnel, and shaking his hand, sarcastically retorted that they were a team capable of a Top-5 finish.

"I think the way the game went, we deserved at least a point," admitted Balagumaran.

"From my angle, I thought they were both penalties ... But there are always plus and minuses and everybody makes mistakes," he added.

DPMM FC midfielder Azwan Salleh cleared a Durand shot off the line in the 14th minute, and just seconds later, the Frenchman would shoot over the bar.

Relying too heavily on long-balls forward, DPMM FC didn't link up well on the attack especially with a well organised defence marshalled by Aikhena.

Gombak, on the other hand, defended stoutly in the first half and looked to play on the counter and release Durand whenever possible.

Adi had two chances before the half, as did Jerkovic, Brazilian striker Roberto Daniel Da Silva and Hendra.

DPMM FC remained composed despite Shahrulrizal's dismissal, with Gombak surprisingly failing to pressure the hosts after they were down to 10-men and happy to limit themselves to pots from long-range.

Ahmad came close to grabbing a winner for the visitors in the 84th minute, and at the other end, Jerkovic mistimed a 90th minute volley before Durand had a tame effort saved.

Balestier Khalsa FC beat Young Lions (Singaporean national under-23 team) 2-0 in last night's other game to move up to fifth and displace Harimau Muda (Malaysian national under-23 team).

Tonight's games will see Harimau Muda take on Singapore Armed Forces FC at the Yishun Stadium in Singapore and Hougang United FC host Woodlands Wellington FC at the Hougang Stadium.The Brunei Times