DPMM FC remain second in the Singapore League after being held to a 1-1 draw by Geylang International FC at the Bedok Stadium in Singapore last night.
Starting the week on top of the 12-team table by virtue of goal difference, Brunei's premier football club surrendered top spot after last Sunday's 2-1 loss to Tampines Rovers - the victory pushing the three-time defending champions to the summit.
Geylang, who lost their first three games of the season but have now picked up a win and a draw after the arrival of German coach Jorg Steinebrunner, are still 10th in the standings.
According to the S-League's facebook page, Geylang got in front in the 16th minute through Yuki Ichikawa, who scored after lashing the ball into the back of the net after a free-kick which DPMM FC goalkeeper Wardun Yussof was unable to claim.
DPMM FC hit back almost immediately through Brazilian Rodrigo Tosi (pic 1), who bagged a team-leading third goal via a 21st minute free-kick.
Geylang's Hafiz Nor came close to giving the hosts the lead with a shot from outside the box which went past the post just before the hour-mark, with DPMM FC coach Steve Kean (pic 2) making two quick-fire changes in the space of four minutes.
Kean first hauled off midfielder Azwan Ali Rahman for Najip Tarif in the 64th minute and introduced striker Shahrazen Said for Tosi in the 68th minute.
Ten minutes later it was defender Shahrulrizal Hj Abdul Rahman in for Abdul Aziz Tamit, and DPMM FC were able to hold out until the 90th minute when Geylang goalkeeper Joey Sim produced a reflex save to keep out what would have been a sure goal by DPMM FC's Irish striker Roy O'Donovan.
"It's probably a fair result because I thought Geylang were better than us in the first half and we were better than them in the second," said Kean after the match.
"The chance at the end was as a good as any in the match. Great save from the goalkeeper.
"Credit to Geylang, they changed their system and played a 4-2-3-1 and tried to stretch us in first half and made it difficult for us when we had the ball.
"But when we adjusted we matched them up and we had a great chance at the very end to win it with Roy.
"Taking in all things, that's another point and gets us in back in a positive mindset of picking up points," added the Scotsman
Meanwhile at the Jalan Besar Stadium, Goran Ljubojevic gave Singapore League Cup holders Balestier a 15th minute lead which was cancelled out by Miroslav Pejic's fifth S-League goal of the season in the 37th minute.
Nicholas Velez would put the Warriors in front five minutes after the break, and despite Yusiskandar Yusop being sent off for Balestier five minutes later, Paul Cunningham would level the tie in the 85th minute - with teammates Ridwan Jamil and Kim Min-ho both also shown their marching orders in the 90th minute.
