26 September 2014

Kean confident ahead of crucial clash

Friday, September 26, 2014

DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean believes that they have the advantage going into the second leg of the Singapore Cup semi-final against Home United FC at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore tonight.
This will be the third time the two teams play each other in the span of just 10 days.
The first of three clashes saw Home United edge DPMM FC 2-1 during the Singapore League (S-League) at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last Wednesday.
Roy O'Donovan then saved DPMM FC from going into the second leg 1-0 down after striking the back of the net in the 75th minute at the Bishan Stadium in Singapore on Tuesday.
Kean told The Brunei Times during a phone interview, “Well I think the good thing when you play a team so close together is that you get to know what they're good at and what they're not good at… So from a point of view, I think that's an advantage.”
“We finished the last match very well. I thought they were slightly better than us in the first half but I felt we were better in the second.
“We know why we've done so well in the second half… So that's what we will be looking to do from the first minute of the second game,” he said.
Kean noted that they will also have the upper hand with Joe Gamble coming off his suspension.
“We are confident because another added advantage is that we went through that game missing one of our import players, Joe Gamble, who's very important,” stated Kean.
“Now he's available, we have a stronger squad to select from,” he said.
Asked what if the outcome repeats itself and the game has to be decided on penalties, Kean replied, “We've got the experience from the league cup when we had to kick through a penalty shootout.”
DPMM FC's Singapore League Cup shootout saw them knock out Geylang International FC 3-0 to put them through to the final where they defeated Tanjong Pagar FC to lift the title.
“I think the extra-time period in the league cup showed the physical level that we have. We finished the game very strong and we managed to win the penalty shootout,” said Kean.
Balestier Khalsa FC sealed their spot in the final after gunning out Tampines Rovers 4-1 on penalties.
Tampines headed into the match with the advantage following a 2-1 victory in the first leg, but Balestier's strong defensive side and a goal by Paul Cunningham saw the two draw 2-2 on aggregate.
Neither team managed to put up a winning goal in extra time, leading to a fruitless sudden death period at the Tao Payoh Stadium in Singapore.

The Brunei Times

No comments:

Post a Comment