Shahrazen Said set up Maududi Hilmi Kasmi for yesterday's first goal. Picture: BT file
DPMM FC got their Singapore League (S-League) pre-season campaign off to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Nakhon Si Heritage in yesterday's 2014 Phuket Saksee Cup opener in Thailand.
Two second half goals by Ak Mohd Fakharrazi Pg Hj Hassan settled the tie, with the result just the kind of start new coach Steve Kean would have been looking for in his first match in charge of Brunei's only professional football club.
According to striker Shahrazen Said, DPMM FC kicked off with all four imports - Boris Raspudic (Bosnia), Roberto Alviz (Croatia), Joseph Gamble (Ireland) and Rodrigo Tosi (Brazil) - on the bench at the Surakul Stadium in Phuket.
Midfielder Maududi Hilmi Kasmi gave DPMM FC the lead after being set up by Shahrazen, and Nakhon Si Heritage equallised just before the halftime whistle after Suhaime Hj Md Yusof failed to clear the ball - resulting in the home side putting the ball past goalkeeper Azman Ilham.
With unlimited changes allowed for the match, Kean bravely subbed out the starting 11 in the second half.
It was a move which paid off when Ak Mohd Fakharrazi put DPMM FC in front once again after he fired home Tosi's deflected header from 10 metres out.
The midfielder notched his brace after connecting on a cross by Alviz to fire a low shot past the Nakhon Si Heritage custodian.
Captain Rosmin Hj Mohd Kamis, who came on as a second half substitute, was delighted with the team's performance.
"It is a good start for the new era (under Kean)," said Rosmin in an interview with The Brunei Times after the triumph.
"Everybody got the chance to play today (Saturday) and everyone showed that they want to be in the team.
"Everything is very positive right now," he added.
DPMM FC will complete the three-team round-robin tournament with a meeting against hosts Phuket FC at 4pm local time today.
Prior to departure, team manager Ali Hj Momin had said that the main aim for the competition is to get the players to gel before the start of the S-League season next month.
Three on-trial players were also on the plane, and Ali revealed that they are looking to sign a striker to fill up the final import slot.
It was reported on the team's official website that the club is "in for Welsh national team striker Rob Earnshaw".
DPMM FC will host Kelantan FA, the FA Cup champions and Malaysia Cup runners-up, in a friendly at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas next Friday.
Their S-League campaign begins on Feb 22 against Albirex Niigata (S) FC, with their first home game set for six days later against Warriors FC.
