DPMM FC notch first win

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh




Friday, March 8, 2013

TEN-man DPMM FC held on for a 2-1 victory over Young Lions last night to move to fourth in the Singapore League (S-League) table with 5 points, two behind leaders Tanjong Pagar United.

Brunei's only professional sports club found themselves holding on for dear life throughout a majority of the game after defender Pg Salehuddin Pg Damit was shown red in the 39th minute for a second yellow card at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore


"I am especially happy with how my team performed without one player tonight. It was a new experience for my players, playing a young team like Young Lions who can run very much. They have very good fitness. I think every national team from this region is a good team," said DPMM FC coach Vjeran Simunic after the game.


Captain Rosmin Hj Kamis fired DPMM FC into the lead in the 16th minute with a superb strike which flew past Young Lions goalkeeper Rudy Khairullah from the edge of the box following a poor clearance.


Striker Shahrazen Said added the second just nine minutes later when he rose above everyone to head home a Sairol Sahari corner kick from the right.

DPMM FC goalkeeper Wardun Yussof was also instrumental in the win, producing a number of excellent saves in second-half.


He managed to deflect Shamil Sharif's goalbound shot early in the first-half and Ignatius Ang could have scored for the home side just a few minutes later but failed to direct his close-range effort into the goal.


Young Lions finally found the net in the 55th minute when striker Sherif El Masri fired a shot just outside the penalty box to defeat Wardun.


Joao Vitor Rocha De Carvalho Moreira should have made it 3-1 for DPMM FC after Azwan Salleh set him up inside the penalty box ten minutes from time.


The Portuguese, however, uncharacteristically headed the ball straight into the arms of the goalkeeper.

Sherif almost punished DPMM FC for the missed opportunity three minutes later, but sent his drive past the far post.

Simunic made several changes to his starting lineup, leaving out midfielder Azwan Salleh for Helmi Zambin.

Adi Said replaced Ivan Bosjnak out with skull fractures to join his brother Shahrazen alongside Moreira upfront.


Bosjnak fractured his bones around his ear and eye during Friday night's 3-3 draw against Hougang United FC.


The team lined up captain Rosmin Hj Kamis and Guadeloupean combative midfielder Stephan Auvrey in the midfield.

Croatian defender Dino Drpic marshalled the back-line sided by veteran Pg Sallehudin, Hj Muhd Subhi Abdilah Hj Bakir and Sairol.


"The players were very confident of winning the game. We controlled the game in every department tonight. But the sending off in the first-half caused a little bit of problem for us," said team manager Ali Hj Momin in a phone-interview with The Brunei Times last night.

"We were playing with three strikers in the game. But we had to sacrifice Adi and brought in midfielder Azwan at the start of the second-half. We knew that we could have won with a bigger margin by playing three strikers upfront, but we did not want to gamble," he said.


DPMM FC will take on Albirex Niigata FC at Jurong East Stadium in Singapore on Monday.


The Brunei Times ..