Brunei meet Sabah tonight

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, September 30, 2012

The National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) announced that the national team will be playing Sabah FA in a friendly match at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas at 8:15pm tonight.

Organised by the NFABD, with the cooperation of the Department of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports, the friendly game will serve as a good preparation for the upcoming AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers.

According to NFABD assistant general secretary Hj Mohd Taha Hj Mohd Tahir, the friendly game is free and open to the public.

"This is the last opportunity for the local fans to watch the team in action before they left for Yangon, Myanmar on Tuesday. National coach Kwon Oh-son is expected to have a good idea on the final 20 players to don the national jersey in the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers," said Hj Taha. - Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh

The Brunei Times

DPMM FC hit 'Home' run

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, September 30, 2012

DPMM FC have Adi Said to thank to for turning a thrilling S-League title race back in their favour after an incredible 3-2 comeback to record their first win against Home United FC this season at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last night.

DPMM FC looked to be heading for a 2-2 draw before 22-year-old Adi scored a sensational winning goal two minutes into added time.

Lack of composure as well as discipline in the first half made them vulnerable to the visitors. Then, however, came the kind of comeback we always associated DPMM FC with, one that crushed a determined Home United FC side and a victory that might help Brunei's only professional club to win their first S-League title.

"We believe that we are the best team and we can beat any team in this region. Tonight could be the history and tonight could be the night that we won the title," said Vjeran Simunic.

Trailing as early as the 13th minute after Senegalese-French striker Frederic Mendy put Home United in front, DPMM FC found themselves 2-0 down when Home Utd captain Shi Jia Yi converted from the penalty in the 45th minute. DPMM FC were also without their key central defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos when he lasted for 25 minutes before limping off the pitch with an injury.

Mendy was causing problems for DPMM FC and the home side found it hard to penetrate the visitor's defence prompting Simunic to substitute Rosmin Hj Khamis for Helmi Zambin after the half-time break.

Undaunted, DPMM FC mounted a comeback and saw striker Shahrazen Said find the net four minutes into the second half. Pouncing on a poor clearing punch, Shahrazen arched the ball over goalkeeper Lionel Lewis with a header. Patrick Roberto Daniel Da Silva leveled the score five minutes later with a header that left Lewis rooted to the spot.

DPMM FC's pursuit of winning the double appeared to be unraveling. They were devoid of ideas and destined, seemingly, for their fourth draw in the league this season. That Simunic sent on Adi from the bench was a measure of just how desperate they were to win the game.

Looking defeated, a few of the home fans started to make their way out of the stadium thinking that the match will ended up with a draw. But little did they knew that Adi became DPMM FC's hero when he scored his team's third and winning goal during injury time.

Adi was first to the ball during a scramble in the penalty box, scoring the winner and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Praising his players for their never-say-die attitude despite trailing by two goals, Simunic said that he was not impressed by the attendance at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last night.

"DPMM FC made the Brunei fans happy tonight after a bitter defeat to the Indonesian team last time. (And tonight) is a special game, not all football matches are like this."The Brunei Times

DPMM FC can't relax, says Simunic

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, September 29, 2012

HEAD coach Vjeran Simunic (pic) insists DPMM FC cannot afford a lapse in concentration when they meet Home United FC tonight at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas at 8:15pm.



"I expect my players to play smart and not to lose focus when they play against Home United tomorrow. They're one of the strongest teams in the S-League and it is always difficult to play against them. But we always trust ourselves that we can always get the three points," said Simunic.



Having won the Singapore League Cup in August by beating Geylang United FC 2-0 as they became the first team to claim the trophy for the second time, the Croatian has set his sight on winning the double by winning the S-League title this season.



"We are aiming for a double this season. We won the Singapore League Cup in August and we still have the chance to win the league. We were disappointed that we did not have the chance to challenge for the S-League title after winning the Singapore League Cup two years ago because of the FIFA suspension."



On current form, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that DPMM FC could actually win the league. With their S-League season now back on track after winning their last two matches against Tanjong Pagar (3-0) and Young Lions (3-1).



The last time the two sides met in the league was on April 19, a game which saw Frederic Mendy solitary goal give Home United a 1-0 win at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.



"I am sure that the football fans in the country are not happy following the Brunei National Team defeat in the friendly game against Indonesia. But I really hope that they will come for the game in full force, filling the stadium and cheering DPMM FC."



"It is going to be one of the toughest remaining games in the S-League for us. The referees for the past two games have made a mistakes and horrible decisions against us. We expect a good refereeing tomorrow," the DPMM FC head coach said.



Tales Ricarte dos Santos is expected to start in the game after featuring in DPMM FC 3-0 win over Tanjong Pagar United FC last Sunday. Ivan Jerkovic has won the trust of the DPMM FC supporters after getting his name onto the scoresheet in the past two games. Patrick Roberto Daniel Da Silva's recent form has significantly improved. Youngster Adi Said, Hendra Azam Md Idris and Najib Hj Tarif have shown rich promise for DPMM FC.



"Santos is back, he is in a good shape now. He played against Tanjong Pagar last week. Sairol (Sairol Sahari) and Salehuddin (Pg Salehuddin Pg Damit) will also be available for the game tomorrow. "The lineup will going to be similar to last week's game against Tanjong Pagar. We got strong players on the bench like Adi Said and Helmi Zambin," added Simunic.



At the same time Shahrazen Said has taken his scoring tally to 11 goals in the league this season while Azwan Salleh has gradually become one of the key players in DPMM FC title race this year. DPMM FC are now third in the league with 39 points and they can move to second place replacing Albirex Niigata if they beat Home United tonight. The Brunei Times 

Captain Najib apologises for defeat

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, September 28, 2012

NATIONAL team captain Najib Hj Tarif made a public apology following the woeful 5-0 defeat to Indonesia in a friendly match at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on Wednesday.

Brunei's inability to spark on the attack, and unable to sustain any pressure going forward, while losing possession far too easily was the main reason for the defeat.

Meanwhile Irfan Bachdim was the star for Indonesia, 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup runners up, as he bagged a hat-trick in the win.

Irfan put Indonesia in front after sending goalkeeper Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof the wrong way in a 23rd minute penalty he converted after being brought down in the box.

Brunei were a further 2-0 down in the first half after Indonesia's Vendry Ronaldo Mofu unleashed a powerful 30-yard shot which screamed into the goal after hitting the crossbar on its way in.

Indonesia added three more goals in the second half to make it 5-0.

By the time Irfan latched onto a Hendra Adi Bayauw pass and calmly slotted home after dribbling past the Brunei defenders in the 50th minute, some of the Bruneian support had begun leaving the stadium.

Hendra Adi would add goal number four after tapping home a square pass from Muhamad Nur Iskandar in 63rd minute before Irfan completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute of the game.

Brunei's Captain for the night, Najib Hj Tarif said that the players were wholly responsible for the defeat.

"All I can say is I am sorry for the fans that made it to the stadium on the night. We did not perform well in the game. It was not a good result and I am sorry to disappoint the fans," said an emotional Najib.

"There was no balance in our movement during the game. We did not work together in the game (either). We lost (our) focus, we did not create chances and our movement was too predictable. We were not nervous of playing against Indonesia," he said.

Instead he pointed towards the team's lack of playing time together as a more plausible explanation to their disappointing performance.

"This team is new. It was only formed for few months. I only got called up to join the national team last month. We need more time together and we are running out of time. We were without players from the DPMM FC (squad) and the result might have been different," Najib explained.

Brunei were without 9 DPMM FC players in the squad as they are preparing for Home United FC in the Singapore League (S-League) on Saturday, the game is considered the toughest of the four matches as the club close out their season.

"I am not taking anything away from the Indonesia team. They were the better team on that night. We (have) got to take responsibility of the defeat. Indonesia are technically better than us and they are always ahead of us in football. They are one of the strongest team in Southeast Asian region," said the Captain.

"We hope that this defeat will teach us lessons. I hope that the players will see this as a reason to work hard and bounce back in the tournament (AFF Suzuki Cup qualifier) in Myanmar," added Najib.

The Sultanate face Myanmar on Oct 5, Cambodia on Oct 9, Laos on Oct 11 and Timor Leste on Oct 13 in the AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers.

All matches are set to be played at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon.The Brunei Times 

FOOTBALL Painful lesson for Brunei

Jason Thomas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Continued on Page A35

Thursday, September 27, 2012

THE NATIONAL football team know they have a lot of work to do after being handed a 5-0 loss by Indonesia in a friendly last night.

Preparing for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar, the team has only been together for three months and it showed as they were picked apart by a slick and smooth Indonesian side.

All memories of the national Under-21 team's 2-0 win over Indonesia to lift the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy in March were firmly cast aside after the visitors commanding display, Irfan Bachdim impressing the most for the 2010 Suzuki Cup runners-up with a hat-trick at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.

The host's most glaring failure was their inability to spark on the attack, and losing possession far too easily and unable to sustain any pressure going forward, the team's inexperience was laid bare for the Indonesian-dominated crowd to see.

Playing with purpose and precision, Indonesia were easily able to create space and switch play with their sturdy central defensive pairing of Wahyu Wijiastanto and Handi Ramadhan ensuring goalkeeper Samsidar hardly broke a sweat.

Brunei were not at full-strength though, and perhaps the inclusion of nine DPMM FC players in last night's squad would have made a world of difference.

Indonesia also have more gears in them, as they came without strikers Bambang Pamungkas and Christian Gonzales and key players such as AFF 2010 Suzuki Cup MVP Firman Utina, Patrich Wanggai, Oktovianus Maniani, Titus Bonai, Ponaryo Astaman, Muhamad Ridwan, Ahmad Bustomi all of whom play for clubs in the breakaway Indonesian Super League (ISL).

"We always knew it was going to be hard going up against one of the region's top teams. Indonesia are at a different level in terms of ability and experience," admitted national coach Kwon Oh-son.

"We've only been training for a few months and we're improving everyday," added the South Korean before praising his players' spirit.

Kwon's counterpart's also paid tribute to his players' spirit, saying that their determination and desire were the main reasons they won last night.

"I expected them to work hard, and they did," said Nil Maizar when asked whether he was expecting such a lop-sided scoreline.

"The most important thing was that they played with their hearts and enjoyed the game. You can't play football if you are forced," he pointed out.

The only forcing the Indonesians did was onto their opponent's goal, with captain Elie Aboy sending in several dangerous crosses in the opening few minutes to set the tempo for the tie.

Unable to stretch play, Brunei were left pinging long-balls forward, none of which troubled the Indonesians' back line.

Irfan put Indonesia in front after sending goalkeeper Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof the wrong way in a 23rd minute penalty he converted after being brought down in the box and they headed into the break 2-0 up after Vendry Ronaldo Mofu unleashed a 30-yard cannonball which bounced into goal after hitting the crossbar easily the best goal of the night.

Brunei's defence was caught napping five minutes after the break when Irfan latched onto a Hendra Adi Bayauw pass and cooly slotted home after streaming past the Brunei defense and Hendra Adi woud make it 4-0 in the 63rd minute after tapping home a square pass from Muhamad Nur Iskandar.

Though it was shambolic defending, more shameful was the fact that that scores of Brunei fans took that as their cue to start streaming out of the stadium.

Irfan bagged his hat-trick in the 72nd minute after rounding Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi to cap off a string of passes which started with Muhamad Nur Iskandar and worked its way to Rahmat Syamsuddin Leo before finding the goalscorer.

Md Suhandi Hj Awang Mahali came in for Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi in the 76th minute, but judging from last night's performance, it will take more changes for Brunei to make any impact in Myanmar.The Brunei Times 

No Official "A" match for Brunei !

FIFA did not accept the friendly Brunei vs Indonesia as a official  International "A" match because not all 4 match officials were FIFA referees.

Brunei brace for momentous duel

Jason Thomas


BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Wednesday, September 26, 2012


NOT ONLY will tonight's friendly match against Indonesia provide the national team a valuable warm-up ahead of next month's Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar, it will also give Brunei its first chance at precious FIFA ranking points in three years.


Though Brunei competed at last year's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia and the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy (HBT) in March which they won as hosts after beating Indonesia 2-0, the former was an Under-23 competition and the latter an Under-21 tournament.


Tonight's game at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas at 8:15pm, though, is a certified FIFA international friendly with a neutral FIFA referee (Malaysian Mohd Yussof Mat Karim) and a limit of six substitutes.


Brunei are 202nd in the 206-nation FIFA rankings while Indonesia are 168th, and a win will be a much-needed boost for the Sultanate who only had their three-year FIFA suspension lifted last year.


Though the national team pushed for unlimited substitutes during yesterday's manager's meeting, they only have to look to the Philippines to be reminded why limited substitutes and neutral referees are pre-requesites for a match to be being recognised as a FIFA international friendly, thus gaining ranking points.



The Philippines' GMA Network reported that the Philippines' match with Laos on Sept 10 was removed from the FIFA official list of fixtures after the latter used an unsanctioned referee. The Philippines' Sept 5 match against Cambodia where the Cambodians reportedly made seven substitutions also forced FIFA to cancel the game from the official fixtures as the maximum number of substitutions allowed in a game is six.



The last time the Sultanate played in a game of this stature was in May 2009 when they lost all three of their 2010 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup qualifying matches in Sri Lanka, going down to the hosts 5-1, Pakistan 6-0 and Chinese Taipei 5-0.


Fans will have to rewind to October 21, 2008 for Brunei's last win, a 4-1 result against Timor-Leste during that year's Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Cambodia. They started off with a 1-1 draw with the Philippines before beating Timor Leste and losing 3-2 to Laos. Cambodia would qualify at the expense of Brunei after beating them 2-1 in their final match, and the FIFA suspension prevented the country from lacing up in 2010.

The Indonesians head into tonight's tie as favourites having finished second in the last edition of the biennial tournament to Malaysia. They also have been spared the expense of qualifying and are drawn in the Nov 24-Dec 22 tournament proper with Malaysia, Singapore and whichever country places second in the qualifying rounds.

Indonesia's preparations for the AFF Suzuki Cup have been less than ideal though, having lost 2-0 to North Korea in Jakarta on Sept 10 and held to a 0-0 draw against Vietnam in Surabaya five days later.


Largely due to internal politics, their current squad is a rework of the one that ended as runners-up in 2010.



Their coach Nil Maizar, though, is confident his players have the quality to impress tonight.


Indonesia will still be grimacing about the HBT loss but it could have been a different story had Brunei not been strengthened by five over-age players and spurred on by a fantastic home crowd.



Though Brunei's assistant coach admitted he did not know much about the current Indonesian team, he was sure that their opponents' pedigree spoke for itself.


"We only know that they finished second during the last Suzuki Cup," said Rosanan Samak.


"I prefer to focus on my own team. I know we might not have nine DPMM FC players available for selection so that will affect our strategy ... (but) for me and my coaching staff, we believe we can challenge Indonesia." The Brunei Times ..