DPMM FC's Rodrigo Tosi celebrates after scoring against Tanjong Pagar United FC in their Singapore League match last night at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas. Picture: BT/ Md Asdeny Yakub
DPMM FC's Rodrigo Tosi celebrates after scoring against Tanjong Pagar United FC during their S-League match last night at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas. DPMM FC beat Tanjong Pagar United FC 4-0. Picture: BT/ Md Asdeny Yakub
DPMM FC moved seven points clear at the top of the Singapore League (S-League) after a 4-0 thrashing of Tanjong Pagar United FC last night.
Brunei's only professional team are currently on 28 points followed by Warriors FC and Tampines Rovers FC, both on 21 points. More impressive is that DPMM FC have scored 30 goals, with 22 at home, and conceded just five in 11 games.
Marquee signing Roy O'Donovan notched two goals and assisted the other two in the win at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last night. DPMM FC took the lead in the ninth minute after Hj Mohd Subhi Abdillah Hj Bakir sent in a cross from the right for O'Donovan to fire in between two Tanjong Pangar defenders and past goalkeeper Aurelien Herisson.
Tanjong Pagar had a shot on target from inside the box in the 25th minute courtesy of Monsef Zerka but DPMM FC custodian Wardun Yussof was up to the task to deny him. In the 38th minute, Azwan Salleh found space down the middle and unleashed a long range shot but Herisson dived low to keep the ball out for a corner.
DPMM FC doubled their lead after captain Rosmin Hj Md Kamis delivered the ball to O'Donovan down the right before sending a perfect cross for the onrushing Rodrigo Tosi to head home his 11th goal of the season in the 43rd minute. Tanjong Pagar had a chance to pull one back just before the break but French midfielder Sebastien Etiemble saw his freekick from the edge of the box go wide.
DPMM FC had the best of starts to the second half with a goal just 20 seconds in. Azwan Ali Rahman sent in a cross from the left to an unmarked O'Donovan to easily bulge the net for his 10th goal of the campaign.
Azwan Salleh gave the ball away to Firdaus Idros in the 50th minute. Firdaus was brought down at the edge of the box but his appeal for a penalty but was waived off by referee W Ravisanthiran. Kamel Ramdani took the ensuing free kick for the Jaguars but it bounced off the wall and out of danger for the home team.
Five minutes later, Azwan Salleh slipped and gifted the ball to Etiemble who tried one from range but Wardun was up to the task to save the shot in between the DPMM FC sticks. At the other end, O'Donovan had a chance to bag his hat-trick down the left but couldn't keep his shot down.
Tanjong Pagar created another chance in the 77th minute after Asraf Rashid delivered a dangerous ball into the box but Etiemble failed to connect despite going at full stretch. DPMM FC almost replied with a goal the next minute but Azwan Ali, who should have passed to the middle, squandered his effort after a solo run.
Striker Shahrazen Said, who came on as a late substitute for Tosi, put the icing on the cake for DPMM FC after finishing with precision off a pass by O'Donovan as the last kick of the match. The only blesmish for the Brunei side were injuries picked up by the duo of Roberto Alviz (twisted knee) and Tosi (calf) in the game.
In the other match, Hougang United edged Balestier Khalsa 2-1 at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore. Diego Oliviera gave Hougang the lead in the 28th minute before Goran Ljubojevic converted a penalted eight minutes later to make it 1-1 heading into halftime.
Geison Moura netted for Hougang in the 59th minute which proved to be the difference between the two sides. DPMM FC will host Albirex Niigata FC in their next match on Wednesday.
