Saturday, April 25, 2015
DPMM FC overcame Singapore League (S-League) defending champions and leaders Warriors FC 3-1 in a heated encounter which saw both teams reduced to 10 men last night.
Rafael Ramazotti netted a brace in the first half, bringing his tally to a league high of eight goals, before Paulo Sergio netted a penalty in injury time, his third straight game getting on the scoresheet and fourth of the season.
The victory at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore sees the Brunei side remain unbeaten and they are now level on points with second-placed Albirex Niigata (S) FC with 16 points.
They are now only two points adrift from leaders Warriors, who beat them to the S-League title last season, but have two games in hand.
DPMM FC got off to a rough start but were fortunate Warriors failed to capitalise.
The Warriors should have scored just 50 seconds into the match after Nicolas Velez got on the end of a Miroslav Pejic cross from the left at the far post, but he could only fire wide.
They got another chance the next minute after Velez broke down the right before pulling it back for Pejic in the middle, but DPMM FC shotstopper Wardun Yussof produced a good save.
DPMM FC broke the deadlock in the seventh minute after Ramazotti rose the highest to head home Azwan Ali Rahman's freekick from the right.
The lead was doubled just four minutes later after Warriors gave the ball away in their own half before Azwan Ali put Ramazotti through to flick it past Warriors goalkeeper Daniel Ong.
The visitors came close to add to the tally in the 21st minute after a good one-two by Azwan Ali and Sergio saw the latter unleash a shot but Ong got a touch to it.
Velez tried one from outside the box in the 26th minute but it went straight to Wardun.
DPMM FC had a good opportunity off a counter attack in the 31st minute with Md Hendra Azam Md Idris finding Sergio upfront, and though the Portuguese managed to get past his marker, he couldn’t get his shot past Ong.
DPMM FC were patient with the ball and were stringing passes together to keep possession.
Warriors came out a different side after the interval and should have pulled one back in the 50th minute after a two-on-one situation.
Velez puts it to his strike partner Fazrul Nawas on the left, but the forward fired just inches wide off the far post.
Velez got past two markers on the left in the 55th minute before firing an attempt which was cleared off the line by DPMM FC sweeper Brian McClean.
The Warriors were inching closer to a goal as Pejic and Fazrul had back-to-back attempts saved by Wardun the next minute.
Kevin McCann tried one from outside the box two minutes later and Wardun was required to push it over the bar.
The Warriors finally got on the scoresheet from the ensuing corner after it was taken short for Velez to dribble into the box and curl one into the left corner to make it 2-1.
Velez and Joe Gamble were shown straight red cards for a scuffle in the 71st minute, with the Warriors suffering more from the dismissal as it took the wind out of their sails in the comeback attempt.
The hosts should have equalised three minutes later after substitute Shi Jiayi launched a shot on target, but Wardun was up to the task to deny him. Pejic pounced on the rebound but fired just wide from close range.
Sergio could have killed the game in the 85th minute but his shot went across the face of goal.
DPMM FC were awarded a penalty after Ramazotti put Sergio through on goal in the 91st minute when he rounded the Warriors custodian before being brought down inside the box – and Sergio slotted his strike down the middle to kill off the match.
Ramazotti could have notched a hat-trick in the final minute of additional time, but Ong went full stretch to deny him.
The Brunei Times
Rafael Ramazotti netted a brace in the first half, bringing his tally to a league high of eight goals, before Paulo Sergio netted a penalty in injury time, his third straight game getting on the scoresheet and fourth of the season.
The victory at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore sees the Brunei side remain unbeaten and they are now level on points with second-placed Albirex Niigata (S) FC with 16 points.
They are now only two points adrift from leaders Warriors, who beat them to the S-League title last season, but have two games in hand.
DPMM FC got off to a rough start but were fortunate Warriors failed to capitalise.
The Warriors should have scored just 50 seconds into the match after Nicolas Velez got on the end of a Miroslav Pejic cross from the left at the far post, but he could only fire wide.
They got another chance the next minute after Velez broke down the right before pulling it back for Pejic in the middle, but DPMM FC shotstopper Wardun Yussof produced a good save.
DPMM FC broke the deadlock in the seventh minute after Ramazotti rose the highest to head home Azwan Ali Rahman's freekick from the right.
The lead was doubled just four minutes later after Warriors gave the ball away in their own half before Azwan Ali put Ramazotti through to flick it past Warriors goalkeeper Daniel Ong.
The visitors came close to add to the tally in the 21st minute after a good one-two by Azwan Ali and Sergio saw the latter unleash a shot but Ong got a touch to it.
Velez tried one from outside the box in the 26th minute but it went straight to Wardun.
DPMM FC had a good opportunity off a counter attack in the 31st minute with Md Hendra Azam Md Idris finding Sergio upfront, and though the Portuguese managed to get past his marker, he couldn’t get his shot past Ong.
DPMM FC were patient with the ball and were stringing passes together to keep possession.
Warriors came out a different side after the interval and should have pulled one back in the 50th minute after a two-on-one situation.
Velez puts it to his strike partner Fazrul Nawas on the left, but the forward fired just inches wide off the far post.
Velez got past two markers on the left in the 55th minute before firing an attempt which was cleared off the line by DPMM FC sweeper Brian McClean.
The Warriors were inching closer to a goal as Pejic and Fazrul had back-to-back attempts saved by Wardun the next minute.
Kevin McCann tried one from outside the box two minutes later and Wardun was required to push it over the bar.
The Warriors finally got on the scoresheet from the ensuing corner after it was taken short for Velez to dribble into the box and curl one into the left corner to make it 2-1.
Velez and Joe Gamble were shown straight red cards for a scuffle in the 71st minute, with the Warriors suffering more from the dismissal as it took the wind out of their sails in the comeback attempt.
The hosts should have equalised three minutes later after substitute Shi Jiayi launched a shot on target, but Wardun was up to the task to deny him. Pejic pounced on the rebound but fired just wide from close range.
Sergio could have killed the game in the 85th minute but his shot went across the face of goal.
DPMM FC were awarded a penalty after Ramazotti put Sergio through on goal in the 91st minute when he rounded the Warriors custodian before being brought down inside the box – and Sergio slotted his strike down the middle to kill off the match.
Ramazotti could have notched a hat-trick in the final minute of additional time, but Ong went full stretch to deny him.
The Brunei Times
