HRH Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah (3rd L), the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah (4th L), HRH Prince 'Abdul Malik (2nd L) and HRH Prince 'Abdul Mateen (L) during the S-League match between DPMM FC and Warriors FC last night. Picture: BT/Md Asdeny Yakub
DPMM FC continue to impress under the guidance of newly appointed coach Steve Kean following their comfortable 2-0 win over Warriors FC last night at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.
Brunei's only professional football club currently sit on top of the Singapore League (S-League) table with a maximum of six points from two games.
The club has now scored three goals, with Rodrigo Tosi providing much of the firepower.
He scored the only goal in their 1-0 win against Albirez Niigata (S) FC last week and he opened the scoring three minutes into the second half last night.
Captain Rosmin Hj Kamis sealed the three points with DPMM FC's second in the 89th minute.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors when midfielder Miroslav Pejic dribbled past Sairol Sahari on the right flank.
Pejic then set his team-mate Nicholas Velez through but the striker fired his shot wide.
Another move from the right initiated by Warriors' right back Jeremy Chiang caused panic to the DPMM FC backline but Velez once again failed to find the target.
DPMM FC had their own chance a few minutes later when Tosi flicked the ball for striker Roy O'Donovan but Warriors' defender Zulfadli Zainal Abidin was quick to put out the danger.
Both teams matched up evenly in the first half but a rejuvenated DPMM FC would establish dominance in the second.
The restart saw DPMM FC adopting a more aggressive play style.
It did not take long for Tosi to break the deadlock, his shot from outside the box deflecting off captain Daniel Bennett and into the net.
Roberto Alviz put on a commendable performance, his tireless work ethic closed down the midfield, disrupting the play of Warriors' Dharham Aziz and Kevin McCann, the latter replaced midway in the second half.
Tosi had the chance to score his second of the night at the hour mark but his shot went straight into the hands of Warriors' goalkeeper Hassan Sunny.
O'Donovan looked to have scored his debut goal for DPMM FC but his attempt was judged to have been offside.
DPMM FC were then denied a penalty when O'Donovan appeared to have been brought down by Shi Jiayi in the penalty box.
Captain Rosmin would fire his volley wide a minute later following a cross from Hj Subhi Hj Abdillah Bakir from the left.
The captain eventually found the net in the final minute of the game when he made a beautiful run to latch onto a through ball from Tosi - who scooped the ball over the Warriors' defence line.
Rosmin struck the right post in his first attempt but made no mistake in his second slamming the ball into the net.
"We had a very good goal that I think was not an off-side. We got a big claim for penalty that was not given, but we just got on with the game," said DPMM FC coach Steve Kean after the match.
"The second-half was better ... We trusted each other with the ball."
"Boris Raspudic was exceptional tonight, he is a tough defender, the one who always likes to defend and tackle," said Kean when asked who was DPMM FC's best player of the night.
Last night's other game saw Balestier Khalsa FC held to a 1-1 draw by Woodlands Wellington FC at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore.
Balestier Khalsa now sit in second with four points, two behind DPMM FC.
