INDERA SC WIN SUPER LEAGUE TITLE

Indera SC players celebrating after the win over MS ABDB

An Indera SC player (black) in action. – PHOTOS: JAKE TEN

by JAKE TEN

INDERA SC pipped MS ABDB to the DST Super League title after nicking a 1-0 win at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last night.

MS ABDB went into the game leading their opponents by three points, and a draw would have sufficed to secure the title, but it was clear that the then league leaders wanted to end the season on a high.

It was the soldiers that were doing most of the attacking in the first half, controlling possession and keeping Indera SC pinned into their own half, with seemingly nowhere to go.

Pvt (U) Mohd Isa bin Hj Bahar sent a glancing header just over the bar, before Pvt (U) Mohd Mazazizi bin Mazlan’s shot under pressure was tipped around the post by Ak Omar Nur Aqammadin Pg Hj Sallehuddin.

Lcpl Ak Mohd Safri bin Pg Hj Othman looked to have given his side the lead when he hammered home after Indera SC failed to clear their lines from a free-kick, but his premature celebrations were brought to an end as the linesman’s flag denied MS ABDB the lead.

Indera SC, with nothing less than a win acceptable, came out of the traps after the break, and almost forced an opening when Azwan bin Ali Rahman’s ball into the box was latched onto by Muhd Nur Ikwan bin Othman, whose cross-cum-shot forced Pvt Mohd Tarmizi bin Hj Mat Johari to parry, before clearing the danger at the second time of asking.

Azwan was looking threatening from dead-ball situations, and MS ABDB escaped another close shave as the midfielder’s free-kick was almost turned into his own net by Pvt Hj Mohd Yusof bin Hj Matyassin, who was counting his lucky stars as the ball cannoned out off the cross bar.

It was perhaps fitting then that the league’s top scorer landed the fatal blow, as lone-striker Hamizan Aziz bin Sulaiman spotted Azwan’s run, whose first time shot forced its way through Pvt Mohd Tarmizi and into the back of the MS ABDB net in the 82nd minute.

MS ABDB threw more men forward in search of an equaliser, but the fact that they failed to do so was a testament to Indera SC’s patience and resilience.

Despite being deadlocked on 22 points, Indera’s superior goal difference was enough to bring them their first league title since their formation 30 years ago.

“It was a balanced game in the first half,” opined Indera SC Head Coach, Hj Omar Hj Md Jamil after last night’s title decider.

“We were playing on the counter. We played five men in midfield because we knew that they (MS ABDB) had better stamina than us, so with only one striker, we were relying on our midfielders to create the goals,” he added.

“Of course I am very happy. It’s our first league title in 30 years!”

It was a double joy for match winner, Azwan bin Ali Rahman, whose 16 goals in the league earned the dynamic midfielder the golden boot.

“Today was a lot different from our first game. We followed the coach’s strategy. He asked us to contain them in the first half, and then in the second half, we changed our approach to the game a bit, played the ball down the left wing, the right wing and down the centre in an attempt to win,” explained Azwan.

“We were always confident of winning, as long as we stuck to our game plan,” he added.

There was no prize presentation after the game, with the trophy itself and cash prize set to be presented to the respective teams at a later date, which is yet to be confirmed by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam.