JERUDONG FC BEAT INDERA SPORTS CLUB
Jason Thomas
Thursday, February 25, 2010
JERUDONG FC came from behind to beat Indera Sports Club 3-2 in the final game of the DST Group Brunei Premier League (BPL) I for both teams last night.
Jerudong move up a rung to fourth in the 10-team ladder and can finish the campaign in that spot if Majra fail to win their last game against Brunei Shell Football Team tomorrow.
Indera, however, have no need to wait and end the season at sixth with 25 points from 18 games.
Dominating the first half of the mid-table tussle at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas, Jerudong led 1-0 going into the break but found themselves trailing 2-1 in the 69th minute. Their fitness and focus saw them turn the tides though, and goals by Hidayatur Rahim Aliuddin and Sufri Mohaimin helped the team to their eighth win of the season.
Finishing fourth last season as well after losing out to Majra on goal difference, Jerudong's coach felt that a spot just outside the top-three would be fair.
"Our target was a top-three finish but looking at the players we have, I feel it is a good result (if we finish fourth)," said Julkifli Hj Hitam. "The first half was alright and we were able to control the game but we were sloppy on their first goal, when no one attacked the ball. Sure, I was worried a bit about losing ... but we have strong spirit. It wasn't 90 minutes yet and we know it's not over until then. I had confidence in my players' training and knew that we could use our fitness to press them for the rest of the game."
Indera's careless defense saw Mohd Enddy Soehardy Awg Sapar win the ball just outside the box and lay it off for Mohd Azwan Ali Rahman, who scored with a dipping shot past goalkeeper Ak Omar Nur Aqammaddin Pg Hj Sallehuddin in the fourth minute.
Jerudong kept Indera on the back foot for the rest of the half by dominating midfield but the second period saw Indera start to string some passes together and get in the game by slowing the tempo down.
Abdul Aziz Tamit got Indera on the scoresheet 10 minutes after the restart when his free-kick from more than 35 yards curled into the right netting without any Indera player getting a touch.
Another ex-DPMM FC player - Md Helmi Zambin - gave Indera the lead in the 69th minute when he was at hand at the left post to tap home a cross from deep inside the right flank from Abdul Mu'iz Sisa. It wasn't to be the comeback Indera planned though, and relaxed defense saw them throw away their hard-fought lead in the space of three minutes. A through ball to Hidayatur Rahim saw him coolly slot the ball home in the 77th minute, and a tiring back line let Mohd Azwan slide a pass to Sufri, who scored from inside the box after dribbling past two players and celebrated by dancing around the right corner-flag with Md Arif Ali Rahman.
Over at the Berakas Sports Complex, Wijaya FC and NBT FC play out a 0-0 draw. Wijaya remained in eight spot while NBT stayed at the bottom of the table and will be playing in BPL II next season.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
JERUDONG FC came from behind to beat Indera Sports Club 3-2 in the final game of the DST Group Brunei Premier League (BPL) I for both teams last night.
Jerudong move up a rung to fourth in the 10-team ladder and can finish the campaign in that spot if Majra fail to win their last game against Brunei Shell Football Team tomorrow.
Indera, however, have no need to wait and end the season at sixth with 25 points from 18 games.
Dominating the first half of the mid-table tussle at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas, Jerudong led 1-0 going into the break but found themselves trailing 2-1 in the 69th minute. Their fitness and focus saw them turn the tides though, and goals by Hidayatur Rahim Aliuddin and Sufri Mohaimin helped the team to their eighth win of the season.
Finishing fourth last season as well after losing out to Majra on goal difference, Jerudong's coach felt that a spot just outside the top-three would be fair.
"Our target was a top-three finish but looking at the players we have, I feel it is a good result (if we finish fourth)," said Julkifli Hj Hitam. "The first half was alright and we were able to control the game but we were sloppy on their first goal, when no one attacked the ball. Sure, I was worried a bit about losing ... but we have strong spirit. It wasn't 90 minutes yet and we know it's not over until then. I had confidence in my players' training and knew that we could use our fitness to press them for the rest of the game."
Indera's careless defense saw Mohd Enddy Soehardy Awg Sapar win the ball just outside the box and lay it off for Mohd Azwan Ali Rahman, who scored with a dipping shot past goalkeeper Ak Omar Nur Aqammaddin Pg Hj Sallehuddin in the fourth minute.
Jerudong kept Indera on the back foot for the rest of the half by dominating midfield but the second period saw Indera start to string some passes together and get in the game by slowing the tempo down.
Abdul Aziz Tamit got Indera on the scoresheet 10 minutes after the restart when his free-kick from more than 35 yards curled into the right netting without any Indera player getting a touch.
Another ex-DPMM FC player - Md Helmi Zambin - gave Indera the lead in the 69th minute when he was at hand at the left post to tap home a cross from deep inside the right flank from Abdul Mu'iz Sisa. It wasn't to be the comeback Indera planned though, and relaxed defense saw them throw away their hard-fought lead in the space of three minutes. A through ball to Hidayatur Rahim saw him coolly slot the ball home in the 77th minute, and a tiring back line let Mohd Azwan slide a pass to Sufri, who scored from inside the box after dribbling past two players and celebrated by dancing around the right corner-flag with Md Arif Ali Rahman.
Over at the Berakas Sports Complex, Wijaya FC and NBT FC play out a 0-0 draw. Wijaya remained in eight spot while NBT stayed at the bottom of the table and will be playing in BPL II next season.
