24 April 2016

DPMM FC fall to Albirex

Saturday, April 23, 2016

DPMM FC slumped to their third defeat of the Singapore League (S-League) season after leaders Albirex Niigata (S) FC came from behind to win 2-1 last night.

The hosts took the lead through Azwan Ali Rahman before a double by league-leading scorer Atsushi Kawata helped Albirex to gain maximum points and their second win against the Brunei side this season.
DPMM FC remain fourth in the nine-team table on 14 points while the Japanese outfit are now on 20 points from nine matches after the game at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.
Tampines Rovers FC are second with 17 points while Hougang United FC are a point behind.
DPMM FC coach Steve Kean was disappointed to let the game slip away despite being on top most of the way.
“This is our own doing. It wasn’t as if Albirex opened us up at all… They expected us to push in and leave a lot of space, but we didn’t and dropped off to protect the space,” said Kean in the post match interview.
“They (Albirex) kind of ran out of ideas. They never really had any penetration and never got behind us too much, and two poor goals see us coming out of the game with no points,” he added.
DPMM FC got a good chance to open the scoring in the eighth minute after Shahrazen Said – playing in the place of suspended Paulo Sergio – chested down the ball and shot on the turn, only to see it finish at the wrong side of the post.
The hosts produced the first shot on goal in the 18th minute after Rafael Ramazotti headed Shahrazen’s cross from the right but only straight to Albirex custodian and skipper Yosuke Nozawa.
They came close again the next minute after Azwan Salleh dribbled into space before shooting from 25 yards out, but he was denied by the upright.
Albirex were playing the ball through their back-five and were patient with their build up play.
DPMM FC got another opportunity in the 32nd minute with Maududi Hilmi Kasmi firing on the turn from the edge of the box only to watch it go over.
Azwan Ali was given time and space six minutes later, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.
Ramazotti was cleared to shoot from inside the box the next minute but Naofumi Tanaka came across to block his attempt.
Azwan Ali did all the work to get past three markers four minutes after the interval before pulling back for Maududi at the edge of the box, but the latter blasted over.
Shuto Inaba produced a good cross from the left to the far post two minutes later but Naofumi Tanaka couldn’t get a good touch to trouble DPMM FC goalkeeper Wardun Yussof.
Albirex pushed forward again in the 56th minute after Kento Nagasaki broke down the left before putting in a cross but no one was in the middle to connect on it.
DPMM FC broke the deadlock the next minute with Shahrazen launching a cross from the left and was headed down by Ramazotti and poked past Nozawa by Azwan Ali.
The Brunei side should have doubled the advantage in the 65th minute after Azwan Ali found Ramazotti at the edge of the box but his effort was off the mark.
Albirex pulled one in the 72nd minute after Kawata headed Nagasaki’s corner for their first shot on target as it slipped off the gloves of goalkeeper Wardun and into the net.
Kawata almost added another two minutes later but his shot from inside the box brushed the post on the way out.
Albirex were awarded a penalty in the 86th minute after Ak Yura Indera Putera Pg Yunos pulled down Kawata inside the box.
The latter stepped up and fired into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season.
DPMM FC had one final chance to get something out of the match in added time but Azwan Salleh’s free-kick from 25 yards out was caught by Nozawa.
DPMM FC will complete their six-game home stretch with a meeting against Geylang International FC next Saturday.
Meanwhile, last night’s other match saw Home United FC defeat Warriors FC 2-1 at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.

The Brunei Times

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