30 April 2014

Indera extend lead to five points

Wednesday, April 30, 2014
TEN-MAN Indera Sports Club put up a dominant performance for a 2-0 victory over Najip FC in the DST Super League last night.
Indera now move five points clear at the top of the 10-team table with 23 points from nine games followed by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) and Royal Brunei Police Force Sports Council (MS PDB), who are both tied on 18 points.
League leaders Indera were left to play with a man down for an hour after a careless tackle by goalkeeper Mohd Fakhrul Zulhamzi Yussof on Mohd Azri Zahari after a counter attack at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.
It didn’t bother their confidence, though, as they continued to see plenty of the ball.
Indera head coach Hj Omar Hj Jamil was proud of his charges, especially after they kept their composure when being a man down.
“I’m very happy with the way the boys played and it was a very good win,” said Hj Omar in an interview with The Brunei Times after the win.
“The strategy in the second half was to play like normal as if we got all 11 on the pitch.
“We didn’t feel like we had a disadvantage. We didn’t use any long passes and stuck with the short passes which worked,” he added.
“Najip are a good team and are well-organised in both their midfield and defence, but I felt that tonight their finishing was off,” he concluded.
Najip had a chance after a free kick just outside the box in the 39th minute, but Mohd Faiz Fakhrul Razi Muhd Rashid’s attempt went straight to the hands of substitute goalkeeper Mohd Norul Zulhilmi Mustapa.
Indera took the lead after Najip failed to deal with a free kick from a similar position during the next possession.
They could only head away the ball to as far as Mohd Hanafizal Helman Hanafiah, who dribbled the ball down the left and delivered a perfect cross for Mohd Khayrun Salleh to slide home from point blank range in the 42nd minute.
Indera dominated ball possession and were dangerous pushing up front.
They had a chance in the 56th minute after captain Sahrin Momin delivered a cross for Mohd Khayrun to head just wide off the post.
They had another opportunity three minutes later with Mohd Zulkhairy Razali getting at the end of Md Khairul Anwar Abd Rahim’s cross - only to see his shot go over the crossbar.
Mohd Zulkhairy was put through in the 67th minute but Ron Junior Philip did well to deny him in the ensuing one-on-one situation.
It was 2-0 in the 69th minute after Hamizan Aziz Sulaiman was put through on goal as he skipped past the Najip keeper to fire into an empty net.
Najip almost got a lifeline in the 80th minute but Abang Norsilmy Abang Hj Taha could only watch his header bounce off the crossbar.
Indera’s Hj Khairol Anwar Hj Md Yaakub squandered a chance in the 89th minute after a miskick right in front of goal.
A scramble inside the Indera box late into injury time saw the referee point to the spot kick.
Abang Norsilmy took the spot kick but fired wide off the left post to sum up their disappointing evening.

The Brunei Times

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