Home United vs DPMM FC Report [2-0]

Title race still on for victorious Protectors Jack Koh info@sleague.com With SAFFC and Gombak United both winning their last round of matches, it was up to newcomers DPMM FC to ascertain their extended spell of fine results was no beginner’s luck. However, in disparity to their optimistic position in the Great Eastern-YEO’s S.League – a game in hand that if they had won would drive them back to pinnacle spot – it was the hosts who demonstrated likely signs of becoming title contenders. The Protectors sent out an affirmative admonition to Tampines Rovers, their opponents for their next tie on Wednesday night, as they trounced the Bruneians 2-0 at their makeshift home of Clementi Stadium. It was a timely win according to Norikazu Murakami, one of the goalscorers in this match, who noted that Sunday night’s result was key to determining if Home United are still in the title race. “We won this game, ten more points, we can still go for it,” heartened Murakami. The striker, who turned midfielder for the night, essentially played the chief role in all the prominent events of the match. The first of them was a missed penalty in the 32nd minute, where Murakami squandered Home United’s chance to go ahead in the first half, with a sloppy side-footed effort at the bottom right of the visitors’ net. It ended up right in the hands of DPMM goalkeeper Wardun Yussof, who had already dived to the left when Murakami took his kick. “I just thought I want to put the ball into the back of the net,” explained the Japanese. “I saw the keeper move to one side so I tried to place my shot but it didn’t come off right.” When it seemed like it was to be a night of glorious spurned chances for the hosts, their unswerving forward produced a moment of brilliance and made amendments for his failure to convert that penalty. On the hour mark, rightback Isa Halim latched on to a perfectly slotted through-pass from the Protectors’ midfield and blasted it first-time across the visitors’ net. Wasps custodian Wardun, who had already made countless dives to keep his side in the proceedings, only managed a reflex block that ricocheted into the path of Murakami. The former SAFFC striker then made no mistake with an inviting unguarded net. Three minutes later, the goalscorer turned provider for the Protectors’ second strike on target when his low cross from the edge of the box was deflected to Kengne Ludovick’s feet. The Cameroonian striker, from six yards out, turned his defender and hammered the ball into the back of the net. With the scoreline in their favor, the Protectors continued to pound forward for a third goal as the Bruneians’ play fell away. They did not get that third goal, but two was more than enough to prove that Home still had it in them to compete for the title. Vjeran Simunic, head coach of DPMM, blamed his team’s first loss of the season on the suspension of key players. The absence of six regular starters, four of them in defence, meant that he had to play with a makeshift backline. “At this moment, I’m upset with the 2-0 loss,” said an agitated Simunic. “First time we lose but football is like that. We have six key players not playing and Home United is one of the top three teams in Singapore.” On the other hand, PN Sivaji, head coach of Home United, commended his string of backup players, who stepped up in fashion for their rested regulars. Brazilian midfielder Peres de Oliveira, Singapore internationals Shahril Ishak and Juma’at Jantan, and captain S. Subramani all did not play in this match, as the likes of Shahril Alias, Naruphol Ar-Romsawa and Firdaus Idros featured against DPMM. “If you ask me now, I would say this is my strongest team because they produced a fantastic result tonight,” praised Sivaji. “Now I have two teams to play with and Wednesday’s game can be played with another team. “This year we have a better bench and we proved that today, with more than five non-regulars in the starting line-up.”