The national football team pose for a photo prior to their ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2014 Qualifiers against Timor Leste yesterday. Courtesy of Ali Hj Momin
Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Monday, October 13, 2014
THE national football team got their ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2014 Qualifiers campaign off on the wrong foot after falling 4-2 to Timor Leste in the opener yesterday.
The victory at the National Sports Complex in Vientiane was the first for Timor Leste over the Wasps in four meetings.
Murilo de Almeida was the star of the match, bagging a hat-trick for Timor Leste before Patrick Luz put the game to bed late on.
The duo of Adi Said and Ak Md Fakhrazzi Pg Hj Hassan got on the scoresheet for Brunei in the loss.
De Almeida gave Timor Leste the best of starts after finding the back of the net in the sixth minute.
Brunei looked lost and were struggling to piece their passes together to pose a threat in front of the Timor Leste goal.
Luz almost doubled Timor Leste’s advantage in the 28th minute but couldn’t put enough power on his shot from inside the box.
The Wasps equalised in the 35th minute after an unmarked Adi Said headed home a Najib Hj Tarif corner.
Brunei gained momentum after the goal and took the lead just five minutes later.
Adi got the better of his defender on the right before sending a cross into the box. Older brother Shahrazen missed on the header but the ball got only to Najib on the left.
The midfielder then whipped the ball back into the box and it took a bounce off Shahrazen before landing for Ak Md Fakhrazzi Pg Hj Hassan to easily fire home from close range for the lead.
Timor Leste almost leveled just three minutes after the restart but Wardun put up a good save to push the freekick from 25 yards out over the bar.
The Brunei custodian came to the rescue of the Wasps again, denying De Almeida in a one-on-one situation on the hour mark.
Timor Leste finally got on the scoresheet again in the 72nd minute after a freekick from their own half was sent behind the Brunei backline.
De Almeida outpaced and overpowered two Brunei defenders to slot the ball past Wardun from the left to make it 2-2.
It was all Timor Leste from then on and they should have gotten in front in the 79th minute but Wardun once again kept out De Almeida’s shot.
Antonio Sousa got on the rebound but couldn’t keep his shot on target.
Timor Leste regained the lead just two minutes later after Sousa cleared the ball from midfield against two Brunei players, putting De Almeida through on goal.
The Timor Leste forward made no mistake to beat Wardun one-on-one to make it 3-2.
Luz then killed off the match in the 89th minute after outpacing two Bruneian defenders on left to fire past Wardun.
The Wasps will contest their next game against hosts Laos tomorrow at the same venue.
Laos edged Cambodia 3-2 in the second match.
The winner of the five-team qualifiers – with Myanmar being the other - will progress to Group B of the tournament proper, where they will face off against defending champions and co-hosts Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia at the Nov 22-Dec 20 tournament.
The runners-up will take on co-hosts Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines in Group A.
The Brunei Times
The victory at the National Sports Complex in Vientiane was the first for Timor Leste over the Wasps in four meetings.
Murilo de Almeida was the star of the match, bagging a hat-trick for Timor Leste before Patrick Luz put the game to bed late on.
The duo of Adi Said and Ak Md Fakhrazzi Pg Hj Hassan got on the scoresheet for Brunei in the loss.
De Almeida gave Timor Leste the best of starts after finding the back of the net in the sixth minute.
Brunei looked lost and were struggling to piece their passes together to pose a threat in front of the Timor Leste goal.
Luz almost doubled Timor Leste’s advantage in the 28th minute but couldn’t put enough power on his shot from inside the box.
The Wasps equalised in the 35th minute after an unmarked Adi Said headed home a Najib Hj Tarif corner.
Brunei gained momentum after the goal and took the lead just five minutes later.
Adi got the better of his defender on the right before sending a cross into the box. Older brother Shahrazen missed on the header but the ball got only to Najib on the left.
The midfielder then whipped the ball back into the box and it took a bounce off Shahrazen before landing for Ak Md Fakhrazzi Pg Hj Hassan to easily fire home from close range for the lead.
Timor Leste almost leveled just three minutes after the restart but Wardun put up a good save to push the freekick from 25 yards out over the bar.
The Brunei custodian came to the rescue of the Wasps again, denying De Almeida in a one-on-one situation on the hour mark.
Timor Leste finally got on the scoresheet again in the 72nd minute after a freekick from their own half was sent behind the Brunei backline.
De Almeida outpaced and overpowered two Brunei defenders to slot the ball past Wardun from the left to make it 2-2.
It was all Timor Leste from then on and they should have gotten in front in the 79th minute but Wardun once again kept out De Almeida’s shot.
Antonio Sousa got on the rebound but couldn’t keep his shot on target.
Timor Leste regained the lead just two minutes later after Sousa cleared the ball from midfield against two Brunei players, putting De Almeida through on goal.
The Timor Leste forward made no mistake to beat Wardun one-on-one to make it 3-2.
Luz then killed off the match in the 89th minute after outpacing two Bruneian defenders on left to fire past Wardun.
The Wasps will contest their next game against hosts Laos tomorrow at the same venue.
Laos edged Cambodia 3-2 in the second match.
The winner of the five-team qualifiers – with Myanmar being the other - will progress to Group B of the tournament proper, where they will face off against defending champions and co-hosts Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia at the Nov 22-Dec 20 tournament.
The runners-up will take on co-hosts Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines in Group A.
The Brunei Times
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