DPMM FC can’t be complacent

YEE CHUN LEONG

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THERE is no room for complacency when DPMM FC face Geylang International FC in the Singapore League (S-League) at the Bedok Stadium in Singapore tonight.

The Brunei side are riding high after dispatching leaders Albirex Niigata (S) FC 2-1 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas on Friday.

The reigning champions are enjoying their best spell of the season with six wins in their last seven games in all competitions, and DPMM FC coach Steve Kean hopes that they can keep up their good form against Geylang.

DPMM FC are currently fourth in the nine-team table on 25 points, tied with Home United FC but on a poorer goal difference.

On the other hand, Geylang are four points behind and are two spots below.

“It is tricky (tie),” said Kean after a training session on Tuesday.

“We are playing well and our form is good. The task now is to maintain that but sometimes it is easy to get a bit complacent.

“To think, ‘Look at table to see where Geylang are and Albirex are. Now that we have beaten Albirex means we will automatically beat Geylang’… That is never the case,” added the Scotsman.

“We always have to maintain our standard. If we drop them, we will drop points against Geylang.

“If we maintain the form that we are in, application and work rate put in past few games, we will be confident. We can never be complacent or take our foot off the gas,” continued the former Blackburn Rovers manager.

Kean has been busy making tweaks to his side and he hopes that his players will be able to carry out his training ground instructions on the pitch tonight.

“We have been working on moving the ball quicker because I felt that at times we struggled to do so, especially in the two ties against Albirex is when they pressed us,” said Kean when met at the Jerudong Mini Stadium.

“Sometimes we took two touches when there is only time for one… Or we took three when there is only time for two.

“The main focus this week has been to try and move the ball before the opponent gets a chance to get a block in.

“We have been working on one-touch passing movements, and on the flipside, we worked on our pressing.

“We can do that better and it was a positive aspect against Albirex. If we can maintain that we will make it difficult for any team to string passes and beat us on possession.

“We beat Albirex on possession and it shows that our pressing is good. We have been maintaining that and what we had to work on is to move it faster,” continued the 48-year-old.

The Eagles went on a three-game winning streak to claim the Singapore League Cup Plate before falling to the Stags 2-1 in the S-League last Thursday.

One of the key reasons for their good performances has been the signing of Filipino Mark Hartmann late June.

He has found the back of the net in five of the eight appearances so far, including in three straight games.

Kean knows of the forward, who previously laced up for Global FC, but says DPMM FC will have to watch out for other players too.

“I’ve seen him and the thing is with Geylang is they’ve got lots of good personnel,” said Kean.

“It is tough going there because the pitch is normally hard. It is not conducive to passing the ball on the ground and we have to be more direct and get to the front.

“Geylang are a good team and we won’t take them lightly. But it is about us to keep the winning run going,” he concluded.

Portuguese forward Paulo Sergio will be serving his second of a two-game suspension.

Meanwhile, tonight’s other game will see Albirex take on the Garena Young Lions (Singapore national Under-21 football team) at the Jurong East Stadium in Singapore.

The Brunei Times

Wijaya FC edge past Najip I-Team in DST Super League

ADZIRAH MALEK-WEBB

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

WIJAYA FC secured a narrow 1-0 win over Najip I-Team in their first match in the second round of the DST Super League at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas yesterday.

An own goal from Najip’s team captain Mushiready Chuchu in the 60th minute helped secure three points for Wijaya FC, cementing their position in second place with 15 points behind reigning champions, The Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) who sit at the summit of the 10-team table with 19 points.

Wijaya started off strongly in the first half, though missed several chances, notably in the 36th minute after Wijaya skipper, Marhazif Ahad was awarded a free-kick, though his shot was saved by Najip’s goalkeeper, Ron Junior Philip.

Wijaya continued to push on for a goal in the second half and a vital goal resulted from a technical error off Najip’s defence line and allowed Mushiready struck an own goal into their net, rendering Philip helpless to save the shot.

The goal boosted Wijaya’s confidence and they began to attack further. However, Najip’s Philip refused to falter and continued to deny Wijaya’s attackers.

Wijaya’s Mohd Shah Azahar could’ve made it 2-0 in the 67th minute, before his shot went past left of the goal post.

Wijaya continued to dominate possession in the second half though failed to find Najip’s back net. Mohd Shah Hafiz had a shot for Wijaya in the last 10 minutes of the second half though his shot went off the top of the goal bar.

Wijaya’s head coach and interim team manager, Mahdini Hj Mohamad told The Brunei Times: “We missed a lot of crucial chances - especially in the second half. “We had a three month break, so I had expected a bit of a slow start in our first game… so hopefully we’ll be better in our next match.

Meanwhile the match between Jerudong FC and Kasuka FC ended in a 2-2 draw at the Tutong Sports Complex last night.

The Brunei Times

Nozawa’s save turning point: DPMM coach

Yee Chun Leong BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

 DPMM FC coach Steve Kean was disappointed to let the Singapore League Cup title slip away after falling 2-0 to Albirex Niigata (S) FC in the final on Saturday night.Rui Kumada had given the Japanese outfits the lead late in the first half — the only goal that DPMM FC conceded in open play in the competition — and Kean felt that a good save by the Nosuke Nozawa on Adi Said’s effort in the 68th minute was the turning point of the game.In turn, Atsushi Kawata headed home at the far post off a corner in the 80th minute to seal the White Swans’ third title in the competition at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.“We are disappointed because we had the better chances in the first half until they scored their first goal,” said Kean in a post match interview as quoted on the S-League.“With 20 minutes to go, we put in an attacking player to chase the game but credit to the goalkeeper as he made a great save to deny Adi,” he added.“If we had scored that, it would have been 1-1 and we would have been on the ascendency and pushed them a little extra,” continued the former Blackburn Rovers manager.DPMM FC had their best run of the season with five straight wins — including four in the tournament with three clean sheets– prior to the final.Kean hopes that they will be able to carry it over into the final round of the Singapore League (S-League) starting with a meeting against Albirex this Friday at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.“Up until tonight (Saturday night) we have won the last five games. We have been in a good place,” said Kean.“I think every neutral who was watching the game would say by looking at the result and think 2-0 must have been easy. I think Albirex would agree that it was far from easy for them.“We had enough chances but they are a quality side if they get into rhythm which they did after we missed that chance. They are hard to get the ball off,” he added.“Obviously we changed from five defenders to four so there is a little bit more space. I felt we had to do that at that stage.“But now we can then go into the last eight games with confidence. “We have performed in this tournament but unfortunately we didn’t win. We came very close,” continued the Scotsman.On the other hand, Albirex coach Naoki Naruo agreed that it was a tough game and felt that the opening goal was key to the win.“It was a very tough game because it was the final. The first goal was very important for us because DPMM FC were playing better till then,” said Naruo.“We allowed them to create chances, so I wasn’t very impressed with our defending eventhough we managed to deal with the high balls as Kazuki (Mine) was winning everything in the air,” he concluded.The Brunei Times -

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Brunei football mourns passing of Johari Hj Bungsu

Yee Chun Leong

 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN JOHARI Hj Bungsu (pic) will always be remembered for more than just his passion and dedication for Brunei football. The former Najip FC coach passed away suddenly after collapsing during a friendly match on Thursday, sending shockwaves throughout the football community in the capital. A reliable football administrator, astute football pundit and staunch grassroots advocate, Johari was the Football Federation of Brunei Darussalam (FFBD) secretariat when Brunei was suspended by FIFA from September 2009 to June 2011. He also guided Najip FC to the FA Cup final in 2014 after defeating Indera SC in the semi-finals. Najip FC’s national forward Azri Zahari is still saddened by the news and said Johari was his major inspiration for becoming a good striker. “I’m shocked and I still can’t believe it,” Azri told The Brunei Times yesterday. “He has always been a happy-go-lucky person and I really enjoyed his trainings. I feel sad with his passing and I pray for peace for him. “There were a lot of good things that he gave to us as a team... He gave me the chance to play as a striker from a defender. “He believed I could play up front and score, and I went on to play up front for the national team as a striker against Cambodia (in a friendly on Nov 3). I really learned a lot from him,” continued Azri. DPMM FC skipper Rosmin Hj Md Kamis will never forget Johari for his honesty as a pundit for state broadcaster Radio Televisyen Brunei (RTB). “I would like to thank him for his dedication, determination and all the hard work for the love of football in the country,” said Rosmin. “He was a good man and honest in his criticism and comments of football matches. “He was a friend I will never forget and we will surely miss a real man like him. Condolences to his family,” he added. Like Rosmin, former national football coach Kwon Oh-son also feels Brunei football has lost a valuable friend. “He was a good friend of ours. The news of his fate at such a young age is a shock to us all,” said Kwon. “He provided good information for football fans and he loved us to learn through football. “He was a great teacher. He was always soft, kind, caring and loving. It is a great sorrow for all his friends. “He gave us a lot of love and good memories and I wish him eternal rest,” added the South Korean. Apart from his work as a pundit, Johari was also active in grassroots football. Johari headed the Brunei Sports School Soccer Academy as the coach and puts plenty of emphasis on grassroots football. He was also responsible for the annual Sports School Football Festival which features footballers under the age of 14. Former National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) general secretary Hj Muhd Zamri Dato Paduka Hj Hamdani also paid tribute to the late Johari. “He was a football activist who devoted most of his time to football,” said Hj Muhd Zamri. “With his help, the Sports School successfully organised football festivals annually. “He is a person who liked to update his knowledge by attending various courses organised by NFABD,” concluded the former general secretary. The Brunei Times - See more at:

http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2016/07/29/brunei-football-mourns-passing-johari-hj-bungsu#sthash.cyd3ymVv.dpuf

Vietnam beat Brunei in AFC Under-14 tourney

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

 THE national Under-14 football team fell to a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Vietnam in Group A of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Under-14 Regional Festival of Football yesterday. Vo Nguyen Hoang bagged a double with goals in the 19th and 31st minutes at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas. Nguyen Quoc Hoang then made it 3-0 in the 38th minute before Doan Minh Nhut added another in the 54th minute. Tran Thanh Tu got his name on the scoresheet three minutes later to complete the rout against the hosts. The sultanate started out their campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Myanmar on Tuesday before a come from behind 3-3 draw against Singapore on Wednesday.

The Brunei Times - See more at: http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2016/07/29/vietnam-beat-brunei-afc-under-14-tourney#sthash.uTn5s2TD.dpuf

DPMM FC in biggest game of their season

Yee Chun Leong

 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

 DPMM FC face their biggest test of the season when they take on defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) FC in the final of the Singapore League Cup tonight. It is the reigning Singapore League (S-League) champions’ best chance of winning silverware this season having been dumped out of the Singapore Cup in the quarter-finals and 16 points behind the Japanese outfits in the S-League with eight matches remaining. DPMM FC coach Steve Kean said tonight’s title decider at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore is their biggest match of this season and hopes they can deliver the goods. “This is by far the biggest match of the season. We have been improving after a poor start and are getting better,” Kean told The Brunei Times yesterday. “Hopefully we can win this and finish off the league strongly for another good season,” he added. DPMM FC — who will be looking to win the Singapore League Cup for the fourth time — lost both their meetings against Albirex in the S-League, including a 2-1 loss at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas on April 22. Despite past results, Kean feels that the April 22 tie saw them produce one of their best performances of the season. “The last meeting in Brunei was probably the best game and performance we have had this season - but never got the result. Hopefully this time we will have both,” said Kean. “We have been tough to break down and give our opponents very few chances in this competition. “Our defence has improved and hopefully it will remain that way,” added the Scotsman. DPMM FC are enjoying their best spell of the season with five straight wins — four in the competition which includes four clean sheets and have yet to concede in open play. However, they will have to defend against joint S-League topscorer Atsushi Kawata, who is tied with Brazilian forward Rafael Ramazotti with 12 goals apiece. The Japanese is in fine form after bagging a hat-trick in their 4-0 win against Tampines Rovers FC in Tuesday’s semi-finals. “We are not going to man-to-man mark him (Kawata) even though he is the league topscorer as it will give other players space,” explained Kean. “We have to make sure we pick him up when he is in the zone and then man-to-man him when he is in the box,” added the former Blackburn Rovers manager. It is almost a trend for Albirex to start off their season strongly before dwindling later on in the season. However, they have showed no signs of slowing down this year. “They’ve got a deeper squad and have more experience with older players in the team,” said Kean. “Normally, they are predominantly young players and tail off towards the end of the season. “They are different and organised this year. They are holding it together with a new coach and their training is helping them sustain (their good performances),” he added. Kean is also delighted to have Portuguese forward Paulo Sergio back from a two-game suspension and believes that he can make an impact. “He is always a big miss when not playing. He is the best player in the league, if not in the top two or three,” said the 48-year-old. “He can get behind the defence and is a tricky and clever player. It is great to have him back,” concluded Kean. DPMM FC will be missing defender Ak Yura Indera Putera Pg Yunos who is suspended for the encounter, with Abdul Aziz Tamit set to start in his place.

The Brunei Times - See more at: http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2016/07/29/dpmm-fc-biggest-game-their-season#sthash.DFqR5ilt.dpuf

Brunei confident of doing well at AFC tourney

Yee Chun Leong BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
 Tuesday, July 26, 2016

 HOSTS Brunei are hoping to do well at today’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-14 Regional Festival of Football.The opening ceremony is scheduled for 4.15pm at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas, and Brunei will take on Myanmar in Group A right after.Tabuan Under-14 head coach Stephen Ng Heng Seng is looking ahead to the competition.“We are looking forward to put up good performances in all our games this year and hopefully the performance will yield some good results,” said Ng as stated on the NFABD (National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam) website.“The boys will continue with their football education for the next couple of years by going through structural training programmes and playing more international games in AFC and AFF organised competitions.“This will help develop them into strong players that can compete to achieve glory in the future SEA Games for Brunei Darussalam,” he added.The first two matches will be contested at 9am today. Thailand will face off against Vietnam in Group A at the Balapan Track and Field while the Philippines will do battle against Cambodia in Group B in the other game at the Berakas Sports Complex.Timor Leste and Malaysia will go head-to-head in a Group B game at 4.45pm at the Berakas Sports Complex.The Brunei Times -

See more at: http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2016/07/26/brunei-confident-doing-well-afc-tourney#sthash.cFWUEkrz.dpuf