DPMM FC fall despite late heroics in 8-goal thril

Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, July 28, 2013

TEN-man DPMM FC went down fighting in last night's Singapore Cup quarter-finals after coming back from 4-0 down to draw 4-4 against Filipino side Global FC.

However, it was still the end of the road for Brunei's only professional club as they lost 5-4 on aggregate after Global won the first leg 1-0 via a 96th minute goal on Wednesday meaning that DPMM FC will have to continue their hunt for a semi-final berth next season.

Defender Pg Sallehuddin Pg Hj Damit was sent to the showers in the 87th minute after picking up his second yellow last night and DPMM FC head coach Vjeran Simunic felt that they could have evened things up had they not been at a numerical disadvantage at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.

"If we didn't lose Salleh then we could have got it to 5-4... We needed a bit more luck," Simunic told The Brunei Times after the game.

"We left things very open as we pushed forward in search of a goal in the first half, but instead we failed to score and our opponents went on the counter-attack and punished us.

"We changed our tactics after we got Santos (Brazilian central defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos) on in the second half and that managed to help our comeback," continued the Croatian.

Carlos de Murga had a big impact for Global after he claimed a first half hat-trick.

According to Goal.com's play-by-play, the midfielder gave the United Football League runners-up the lead after heading home a cross by Jeffrey Christiaens in the 20th minute.

De Murga netted his second of the game after a 37th minute counter-attack when De Murga flicked the ball to Joshua Beloya just ouside the box, with the latter then returning it to de Murga who calmly put it in at the bottom corner.

He completed his hat-trick just before the half-time whistle after Paul Mulders put the ball neatly into the box and de Murga made no mistake to slot it past Wardun Yussof in between the DPMM FC sticks.

De Murga provided Global's fourth goal after his cross from the right was headed home by Rufino Sanchez in the 55th minute, the Spanish forward also scoring the winning goal in Wednesday's first leg.

Lithuanian Arturas Rimkevicius started DPMM FC's comeback in the 62nd minute with a volley that went in off the underside of the bar after a knockdown from Brazilian attacking midfielder Rodrigo Tosi.

Dos Santos, who was on the pitch for literally 10 seconds and was playing as a striker, headed in an Azwan Salleh corner to make it 4-2 in the 68th minute.

Eduard Sacapano was sent on in place of Global's first choice goalkeeper Roland Sadia at that point, but that didn't prevent DPMM FC from scoring two more.

Rimkevicius scored his second after sliding home a through ball to make it 4-3 in the 82nd minute and Portuguese forward Joao Moreira got his name on the scoresheet three minutes later to tie things up at 4-4.

The Brunei Times

DPMM FC to see extra action in August

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, July 27, 2013

DPMM FC will be playing three extra games in the Singapore League (S-League) next month.

S-League announced the rescheduling of matches from September to August due to overlapping schedule arising from fixture changes to the Merdeka Cup yesterday.

The game between Brunei's only professional team and Balestier Khalsa FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas scheduled for September 4 has been brought forward to August 21.

Another home game against current League leaders Tampines Rovers supposed to be played on September 8 will be contested on August 25.

DPMM FC will then play Warriors FC at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium in Singapore on August 29.

It was initially scheduled for September 12.

DPMM FC currently sit in eighth position of the 12-team table with 23 points from 18 matches.

The Brunei Times

DPMM FC eye redemption

Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWANContinued on Page A40

Saturday, July 27, 2013

DPMM FC are looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Global FC in the second leg of their Singapore Cup quarter-finals tonight.

They succumbed to a late loss on Wednesday after Global's Spanish forward Rufino Sanchez headed home with the last touch of the game for the only goal at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, and it was heartbreak for DPMM FC considering that they failed to put away several chances that could have given them the advantage before the defensive lapse in the 96th minute.

Captain Rosmin Hj Mohd Kamis said that the team has erased memories of their first leg loss against the Filipino outfit and are focused on winning tonight's tie, which will see them through to the semi-finals for the first time.

"We have no other choice but to win the match," said Rosmin in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.

"We are motivated since we still have hope to advance to the semi-finals.

"It's disappointing after losing in the last minute since we dominated most of the match, but we have already forgotten about it and are in high spirits for tomorrow's (Saturday's) match," he added.

After the loss DPMM FC head coach Vjeran Simunic said that he couldn't have asked for more from his players and felt that they performed well and didn't deserve to lose.

Rosmin agreed with the Croatian and knows exactly what is needed from the team to conjure up a victory.

"I also asked the assistant coaches after the match and they said we played well," said the midfielder.

"We will need to score at least two goals and work hard to keep a clean sheet.

"We know that Global FC are a strong team and we must be aware of their counter-attacks," he added.

According to the S-League website, Simunic was not pleased with the performance of foreign strikers Joao Moreira and Arturas Rimkevicius.

The former, who is the team's top scorer, had missed some good chances in the past few matches and according to Simunic, Rimkevicius has yet to get accustomed to the artificial pitch at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

He also mentioned that he was missing the services of injured striker Shahrazen Said, the forward set to sit out another three or four weeks with an injured knee.

Despite not being in Singapore, the striker believes his teammates have the ability to make history by getting into the semi-finals.

"We just need to play normally, but we will require 100 per cent teamwork upfront to score goals because that has been lacking in the forwards' position this season," said Shahrazen.

"Nonetheless, I know that the guys can make history for this Singapore Cup," he added.

The match kicks off at 8pm.

Last night's sole match saw Balestier Khalsa through to the semi-finals after winning 4-1 on penalties against Hougang United FC at the Toa Payoh Stadium in Singapore.

Hougang United won the first leg 2-0 but Balestier levelled things after two quick goals in succession through Qiu Li and Kim Min Ho in the 54th and 56th minutes respectively.

The Brunei Times

Brunei football deep into SEA Games preparations

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, July 27, 2013

NATIONAL football coach Kwon Oh-son is pleased with the progress of his players as they step up their preparations for December's Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

"We (national Under-23 team) managed to prepare quite early for the SEA Games this year and I feel that we are progressing well and steady," said Kwon yesterday.

"We have trained every day since April and the players are in good condition.

"When we first started training we had 40 players with us, but now we only have less than 20.

"Most of them are from the (Under-21) team that won the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy (HBT) last year, while some of them are new players from local clubs in the national league," he South Korean.

Kwon added that three DPMM FC players Adi Said, Azwan Ali Rahman and Md Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof will also be a part of the squad for the SEA Games.

"Key players such as Adi, Azwan and Fakhrul are currently training with DPMM FC (and) I have no worries about these three players as they are training and playing with the best club in Brunei," said the coach.

"I hope that we will be able to welcome them to train with the rest of the squad by the time DPMM FC finish their Singapore League campaign (in September).

"We will try hard and give our best, and I hope that we will be able to achieve a good result for Brunei this year," he added.

Brunei failed to progress past the group stage at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, where they played out to one win, one draw and three losses.

Brunei started their campaign with a 2-1 loss to Timor Leste before drawing 2-2 with Laos.

They then fell 4-0 to Myanmar and 8-0 to Vietnam before winning their last match against the Philippines 2-1.

Brunei is working on a friendly game with the Indonesian SEA Games team scheduled for August 14, a match against the 2011 runners-up which, if works out, Kwon will welcome with open arms.

"I heard about the friendly and it will be a very good opportunity for the players if it happens," he said.

"Indonesia are currently preparing for the SEA Games too and they are one of the best teams in the region, so it will be a very interesting match.

"Over the past few months we have only been focusing on physical and tactical training and this friendly match will give us very good match practice," he added.

Kwon's last international outing was in October for the AFF (ASEAN Football Federation) Suzuki Cup 2012 qualifiers in Myanmar, where the senior team finished with six points from two wins and two losses.

The Wasps started off with a 1-0 loss to hosts Myanmar, bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Cambodia and followed that with a disappointing 3-1 loss to Laos.

The Sultanate then went on to put in a convincing performance to stun Timor Leste 2-1 in their final match of the tournament.The Brunei Times

Matches key to improving

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, July 26, 2013

THE National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) Under 15 national coach Liew Chuan Fue believes that football practice alone is not enough to prepare the national football team for a bigger tournament in the future.

"During the football practice, the players will have the chance to improve their skills and techniques, but the most important thing is to be able to adopt it during the competitive football matches," said Liew in an interview with The Brunei Times recently.

"Match experience is very important in football. It is only by playing competitive football matches that you will be able to get the real football matches environment, atmosphere and pressure. Those experiences are precious and valuable," he said.

"I am very happy that we are able to compete in the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM)-Frenz Under-15 ASEAN Champions Trophy this year, this will be a very good experience for the team"

The NFABD Under-15 have not been enjoying a great of form currently as they are now lying at the bottom of the table with only a point to their name.

"We knew that we haven't won any games in the tournament yet but we talked about this earlier that our primary aim is to get as much experiences as we can from this tournament," continued Liew.

"What we trying to achieve is to provide opportunities for players to become more tactically aware and be educated in how a game is actually played," he added.

"The tournament also provides a realistic environment where players are able to practise and improve their skills under game-like conditions," said the coach.

"We knew that it is painful for the fans to see our national team losing in the games, but they are giving their best in every game and I can assure you that this team is the best that we have in the country.

"We need to keep this team. They have played nine competitive matches and they have experienced it together. Those experiences are very important and it will benefit them in the future tournament," he explained.

The Under-15 team 6-0 defeat to Frenz Indonesia at the Janda Baik Stadium in Pahang, Malaysia on Sunday was their eighth defeat in the tournament.

The national team will have their last chance to record their first win in when they play Lao Toyota FC at Chaoanouvong Stadium in Vientiane Laos in their final game of the tournament.The Brunei Times

Brunei U-23 hoping for Indonesia clash

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Friday, July 26, 2013

THE national football team manager Hj Feisal Hj Eusoff is hopeful that the match against Indonesia's U-23 squad, slated for August, will push through.

The Sultanate's Under-23 team will test the waters against the Indonesian side who is aiming to strengthen their lineup in preparations for the 27th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar in December.

"This will be a very good opportunity for the young footballers in the country, and for Brunei football in general, as Indonesia is a very good team. It will be a very good experience for us," said Hj Feisal in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.

"So far we have not yet confirmed the date and venue of the match but I hope everything will go through. And I would like national coach Kwon Oh-son to be involved in selecting and coaching the team for this game," he said.

Coach Kwon created history for the country by leading the Under-21 team to victory in the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy after defeating Indonesia 2-0 in the final in March last year.

Asked who will be lacing up for the national side in the friendly, Hj Feisal said: "The majority of them will be from the HBT squad last year, but it will not be the full squad as we are looking to add some new players in the team."

According to the Asian Football Federation (AFF) website, the Indonesian U-23 side have scheduled a friendly against the national team on August 14, right after the Raya holidays.

"To play against Brunei Darussalam (on 14 August), we will bring the players together just three days prior," said Rahmad Darmawan, the chief coach of Indonesia U-23.

"We still have several players whom we have not seen yet even after the first two selection process due to the fact that the league schedule is too tight," he said.

Indonesia beat Brunei 5-0 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas the last time both countries met in September last year.The Brunei Times

DPMM FC's heartbreak

Yee Chun Leong


BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN


Thursday, July 25, 2013

IT was heartbreak for DPMM FC after they let in a last second goal to lose 1-0 to Global FC of the Philippines in the first leg of their quarter-finals encounter of the Singapore Cup last night.

A freekick was sent from midfield and, with the DPMM FC backline caught napping, Spanish forward Rufino Sanchez headed in the game-winner in the 96th minute at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.


DPMM FC head coach, Vjeran Simunic, didn't know what hit them and was disappointed to lose the game after seeing his charges put up a good performance.

"We did really well for the whole game and we deserved at least a draw. To let in a last second goal is very frustrating and can be difficult to understand," said Simunic in an interview with The Brunei Times after the loss.

"We have been attacking the whole game and had better chances. We should have scored after a good chance by Arturas (Rimkevicius in the second half) and we really missed Shahrazen (Said) at the front tonight (Wednesday)," he added.

Global FC had the better start to the game and had their first chance in the 18th minute after Carlos de Murga fired a header over the bar.

The Filipino outfit should have taken the lead just before the break in the 44th minute. A freekick was deflected off wall resulting in De Murga heading it towards goal but DPMM shotstopper Wardun Yussof was on hand to block his attempt.

Global captain Ben Starosta pounced on the rebound but was off target.

Brunei's only professional team came out storming after the interval and had a good chance to score in the 55th minute.

Brazilian midfielder Rodrigo Tosi had connected on a freekick but saw the ball wide of the post.

In the 71st minute, Global almost broke the deadlock but Jeffrey Christiaens could only head over the bar from a Sanchez cross.


DPMM FC had their best chance of the matchup seven minutes later after Tosi fired a shot from outside the box which required a good save by Roland Sadia in between the Global sticks.

An unmarked Arturas got the rebound but could only see his shot over the bar.

The Brunei side almost stole it in the 89th minute off a corner resulting in an attempt from outside box which required another Sadia save.

The referee indicated four minutes of extra time which would explain why DPMM FC never saw the final goal coming in the 96th minute.

Simunic expects his players to move on quickly and focus on the next meeting against the Philippine team.

"We will need to forget this game quickly. I couldn't have asked for anything more from the players," said Smunic.

"What happened had already happened. We know that it won't be easy but we will have to focus on our next game," concluded the Croatian.


They will face off in the second leg at the same venue on Saturday.

The Brunei Times