DEFENDING champions Tampines Rovers continued their flawless start to the Singapore League after a 1-0 victory over 10-man Home United last night.
Tampines remain the only unbeaten side in the 12-team league, having picked up a maximum of 18 points from their first six games of the season, while Albirex Niigata (S) FC are second on 15 points.
Home's Firdaus Idros was sent to an early shower after he handled the ball inside the penalty box for his second yellow card in the 62nd minute at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, and Singaporean national team player Fahrudin Mustafic converted the ensuing penalty to put Tampines in front.
Tampines moved to the top of the standings following a 2-1 victory over Harimau Muda B (Malaysian Under-21 team) at the Clementi Stadium last Sunday.
Previous leaders Albirex Niigata could have regained top spot but succumbed to their first defeat of the campaign after falling 2-1 to Woodlands Wellington FC at the Woodlands Stadium on Tuesday.
Woodlands have collected eight points from five games and sit fifth in the league.
Tanjong Pagar United FC and Balestier Khalsa FC are third and fourth respectively, both on 10 points.
Woodlands are set to face DPMM FC, Brunei's only professional football club, at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas at 8.15pm tomorrow.
DPMM FC have taken a three-week break from the S-League and have dropped from fifth to ninth during that period, though they have two games in hand.
Last season's runners-up, DPMM FC are on five points with one win, two draws and a loss from their four games thus far.
Harimau Muda B are 11th while Hougang United FC are 10th, all on five points but trailing DPMM FC on goal difference.
The Young Lions (Singapore Under-23 national team) are rooted at the basement of the table and are the only side with no wins after six matches.
Their first four games resulted in their opponents awarded 3-0 victories after they were found to have fielded ineligible players.
One of those games was against DPMM FC, a match on March 7 that the Bruneian side won 2-1 their only victory of the season thus far. The Young Lions have since lost 1-0 to Albirex (March 20) and Warriors FC (March 28).
Sunday, March 3, 2013
took a touch too many granting the QAF defenders a clearance.
Following half-time, QAF continued to dominate the game with impressive displays of overlapping runs between wingers and fullbacks.
It nearly paid off when Md Hafis cut in from the right to unleash a left-footed shot which unfortunately swayed inches wide from goal.
Majra, meanwhile, went into defensive mode and committed most of their players to their own half in a effort to retain their lead.
The game, however, did not pass without controversy as QAF's players and supporters were venting their emotions and questioned the referee's decision-making abilities.
The QAF faithful became more irate in the dying minutes of the game with protests of time wasting after some Majra players appeared to have dropped on the ground forcing the referee to stop the game and call medical personnel.
Following the match, Majra captain Yusof Salleh praised the defensive efforts of his backline in what he called was a "tight match".
"We had to work hard because QAF are a good team and were playing very well," he told The Brunei Times.
"Although it was tough for us, we made defending our priority and that paid off," he said.
He pointed out that the team's midfield should be an area of improvement having seen it largely overrun by the more livelier QAF midfielders.
"We definitely need to work on our midfield play because they rarely had the ball," he said.
The table-topping Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) will play against bottom-dwellers Kilanas FC at 4.15pm today at the Balapan Track and Field at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.
Wijaya FC will then take on Najip FC at the same venue at 8.15pm.
The Brunei Times
Following half-time, QAF continued to dominate the game with impressive displays of overlapping runs between wingers and fullbacks.
It nearly paid off when Md Hafis cut in from the right to unleash a left-footed shot which unfortunately swayed inches wide from goal.
Majra, meanwhile, went into defensive mode and committed most of their players to their own half in a effort to retain their lead.
The game, however, did not pass without controversy as QAF's players and supporters were venting their emotions and questioned the referee's decision-making abilities.
The QAF faithful became more irate in the dying minutes of the game with protests of time wasting after some Majra players appeared to have dropped on the ground forcing the referee to stop the game and call medical personnel.
Following the match, Majra captain Yusof Salleh praised the defensive efforts of his backline in what he called was a "tight match".
"We had to work hard because QAF are a good team and were playing very well," he told The Brunei Times.
"Although it was tough for us, we made defending our priority and that paid off," he said.
He pointed out that the team's midfield should be an area of improvement having seen it largely overrun by the more livelier QAF midfielders.
"We definitely need to work on our midfield play because they rarely had the ball," he said.
The table-topping Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) will play against bottom-dwellers Kilanas FC at 4.15pm today at the Balapan Track and Field at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.
Wijaya FC will then take on Najip FC at the same venue at 8.15pm.
The Brunei Times
