Preview: Woodlands Wellington vs DPMM FC

Rams anticipating battering assignment from DPMM

Mohd Sham
info@sleague.com

Just a mere three days after their 4-1 humbling by Tampines Rovers, a ragged-looking Woodlands Wellington outfit will face yet another arduous task when championship pretenders DPMM FC come calling at the Woodlands stadium on Thursday evening.

The Rams have yet to taste a league victory since 6 April, that too courtesy of a Jufri Taha own goal gaffe against Balestier Khalsa.

They are currently in free-fall and their morale-sapping loss to the Stags is the latest in a winless streak that has extended to four matches.

Woodlands chief Nenad Bacina has admitted that his side are currently embroiled in a rut, and has pin-pointed a certain aspect which has let his charges down on more than one occasion.

Bacina said, “Morale is a bit down and we had a morning session the day after the Tampines match where I told my boys not to let their heads down.

“I thought we defended well before Tampines scored their first goal and in the second half, we went out with determination but they scored more goals,” he explained.

“But I have to say that we have conceded many goals from set pieces this season and I think it’s slowly becoming a mental problem.

“We do not have many options to change things around as well, as the squad we have this season are small and although we have not been outclassed by any team, sometimes we have fallen just short of beating our opponents.”

The Croatian pulled no punches in assessing his next opposition, which will see the former SAFFC stopper pitting his wits against compatriot Vjeran Simunic.

He commented, “We played DPMM and lost to them in Brunei. We scored first but they equalized from a set piece and they scored in the 86th minute.

“I respect them as they are one of the top teams and they are doing well in the league, and they also have a good mix of foreigners and locals along with a good team spirit.

“But we do not really have enough time to recover mentally and physically after playing just three days ago, so it will be tough for us.”

Despite the Brunei outfit netting a meagre 15 goals in 12 matches, Bacina acknowledged that their stingy defence which has shipped in just 10 goals more than makes up for their lack of firepower up front.

“They do not score many goals but they don’t concede many goals as well, and they have a good system just like Tampines,” he remarked.

“I am expecting a very competitive match and though they are coming to play against us, we will try to be a bit more defensive and we must take our chances.”

DPMM, on the back of their hard-fought 1-0 triumph against the Young Lions, are aiming to snag all three points to keep up the pace with leaders SAFFC, and gaffer Simunic will be looking for more of the same from custodian Wardun Yussof, who had little to do against Terry Pathmanathan’s young charges.

The Rams though, will have to make do without the services of Zakaria Yousif who sits out through suspension.