DPMM’s first away win is Oh so sweet

Fabius Chen
info@sleague.com

Brunei DPMM took their first Great Eastern-YEO'S S.League win in Singapore with Oh Ddog Yi's first goal for the club securing a 1-0 win over Balestier Khalsa at Toa Payoh Stadium.

After four games each this season, neither side had scored the first goal in any of their games and that statistic was always likely to change for one team tonight.

A tightly-contested first half saw both sides create a number of decent chances but it was DPMM that finally drew first blood in the 35th minute.

Cheered on by the travelling supporters, South Korean import Oh found space on the edge of the Tigers penalty area and unleashed a low drive beyond Hafez Mawasi’s despairing dive.

It was a sickening blow for bottom-of-the-table Balestier who, until then, had given a good account of themselves.

Prior to Oh’s strike, it was the home side that had come closest to breaking the deadlock, with Rhysh Roshan Rai’s inswinging freekick forcing a smart save out of DPMM stopper Wardun Yussof.

In a sequence that would be representative of much of the game, Tigers midfielder Syaqir Sulaiman gave the ball away needlessly in the middle of the park but was relieved to see DPMM’s Shahrazen Said’s penetrating run end with a pass to no-one.

As the first 45 minutes drew to a close, Balestier’s Ram Shanker was replaced by K Sathiaraj, compounding a disappointing performance for the 24-year-old midfielder.

Reflecting on the switch, Tigers coach Nasaruddin Abdul Jalil commented: “Ram needed to be more committed and involved.

“Maybe he was just having an off-day but I had to show that no-one in this squad is indispensible.”

The second half was more of the same, with the home side creating chances but the visitors coming closer to scoring.

Off a corner kick from the right, Tigers’ Seth Galloway found the net with an expertly-taken volley, only to have the goal ruled out for an earlier infringement.

At the other end, DPMM’s Croatian midfielder Ivan Jerkovic launched two long-range rockets that just missed their targets.

With 56 minutes on the clock, goalscorer Oh was replaced by fellow new signing Abdel Hamid Berguiga and the Algerian immediately showed what he is capable of, with two runs that had the Tigers defence in disarray.

In fact, it was substitute Berguiga who came closest to scoring in the second half, heading a cross from Rosmin Kamis just wide, with goalkeeper Hafez left stranded.

The home side’s backline was caught flat-footed on several occasions but profligate finishing from the visitors meant that these mistakes went unpunished.

First, Haji Subhi Abdilah blasted his shot into the side netting, before Hafez did well to prevent Berguiga from getting a shot off.

These two chances exposed a naivety in the Balestier defence that coach Nasaruddin highlighted as a concern.

“Many of our players still lack confidence and experience. All four defenders were just sitting back throughout the game,” he pointed out.

Despite turning the screw on their opponents for much of the second half, DPMM were unable to find a second goal to kill the game off and will be pleased that the home side, in truth, never looked like scoring.

“I was very worried about this game,” DPMM coach Vjeran Simunic said after the final whistle.

“We are still new to the S.League while Balestier has been around for so many years, so it does not matter that they are bottom of the table. They are not an easy side to beat.

“I respect all the teams playing in this league. We are a small team that fights to not lose, so I am very satisfied with the way we played.”

Before the game, Balestier coach Nasaruddin mentioned that DPMM were an aggressive side and they certainly lived up to that reputation, picking up four cautions to go with their three points.

It was, however, a booking for Balestier’s Syaqir Sulaiman that drew the most flak for referee Muhd Adzhar Adziz.

Syaqir clearly got to the ball before DPMM’s Hardi Bujang fell over his prone body but the man in the middle awarded the visitors a free kick and showed the midfielder a yellow card.

The decision incensed many of the home fans and although Nasaruddin admitted that such decisions are part and parcel of the game, he felt more could be done to correct them.

"It is an aspect of the game that could and should be improved if Singapore football is to keep moving forward," he stressed.

With a first away win in the bag, DPMM coach Simunic expressed delight with the start his side has made to their maiden S.League season.

He said: “We have played five games in the space of 20 days, so my players are tired.

“Especially with so many new players, it isn’t easy but I’m not worried because we have many good local players on the bench.”

Despite the loss, opposition coach Nasaruddin declared himself happy with his side’s overall showing.

“Of course, I am disappointed with the result but I am quite pleased with our performance,” he said.

“DPMM are a very disciplined side but we created chances and were not outclassed by them.”

With regards to the Tigers staying bottom of the league, he was determined to be optimistic.

“The goals and results will come if the performance is there and the performances are getting better.”