LUCKY WIN FOR INDERA SC
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| An IKLS FC player (L) attempts to dribble past an Indera SC player in their DST Super League game at the Berakas Sports Complex last night. BT/Ridhwan Kamarulzaman |
Two-Time DST Super League defending
champions Indera Sports Club (SC) snapped a two-game losing streak after coming
back from two goals down to beat IKLS FC to move up to second last night.
Coming off loses to league leaders Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) and Lun Bawang at the end of the first round, Indera needed a win against the newly promoted IKLS in their first game of the second round to cut into MS ABDB’s eight-point lead.
Indera had a bad first half and trailed 2-0 in the 39th minute before a penalty from Muhammad Asri Hj Aspar set the half-time score at the Berakas Sports Complex at 2-1.
IKLS made it 3-1 in the 64th minute before a brace from Indera’s Hamizan Aziz Sulaiman and a 81st minute goal from Muhd Nur Ikwan Othman sealed an improbable win.
“We were lucky tonight,” admitted Indera manager Rosdin Hj Abdul Aziz.
“Tonight’s game has shown us the form we are currently in. We lost two games in the last round, and we barely won this one.
“It was good to come back from 3-1 down and our players’ team spirit earned us the three points.
“We changed our tactics in the second half and it paid off, but we should have done that from the beginning,” he added.
The win leaves Indera with 22 points from 10 games, with Najip I-Team shifting down to third with 21 points. MS ABDB have 27 points from 10 games.
Commenting on the title race, Rosdin said it was still too early to tell how the team will finish.
“Right now we can’t say for sure because we have to see how we fare game by game,” said the manager,
“MS ABDB are in strong form right now… We’ll see how it goes,” he added.
IKLS FC dominated Indera in the first half and got in front when Ak Mohd Abd Halim Pg Hj Hassan chipped goalkeeper Candra Budianto in the 20th minute before Muhammad Hafiy Danan scored a volley in the 39th minute.
Things were looking grim for Indera until a bad challenge from an IKLS defender resulted in a foul against Muhammad Asri, who stepped up to score from the penalty spot late in the first half.
Indera substituted Candra with Abdul Hadi Timbang at the start of the first half, with defender Ak Nurul Aleshahnezan Pg Metali also making way for midfielder Ak Mohammad Haikal Pg Zaidi.
Despite conceding again after a set-piece in the 64th minute, Indera regained some momentum when striker Hamizan scored from headers in the 70th and 78th minutes – with both assists coming from Ak Mohammad Haikal.
Muhd Nur Ikwan would eventually break the deadlock with a chip nine minutes from time to seal the titleholders a valuable win.
Indera will face Jerudong FC at the Berakas Sports Complex on Friday while MS ABDB take on the Royal Brunei Police Force Sports Council (MS PDB) at Tutong Sports Complex on the same night.
Both games are set for 8.15pm.
Najip I-Team, meanwhile, meet Lun Bawang at the Balapan Track & Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas on Sunday.
Kick-off is at 4pm.
Coming off loses to league leaders Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) and Lun Bawang at the end of the first round, Indera needed a win against the newly promoted IKLS in their first game of the second round to cut into MS ABDB’s eight-point lead.
Indera had a bad first half and trailed 2-0 in the 39th minute before a penalty from Muhammad Asri Hj Aspar set the half-time score at the Berakas Sports Complex at 2-1.
IKLS made it 3-1 in the 64th minute before a brace from Indera’s Hamizan Aziz Sulaiman and a 81st minute goal from Muhd Nur Ikwan Othman sealed an improbable win.
“We were lucky tonight,” admitted Indera manager Rosdin Hj Abdul Aziz.
“Tonight’s game has shown us the form we are currently in. We lost two games in the last round, and we barely won this one.
“It was good to come back from 3-1 down and our players’ team spirit earned us the three points.
“We changed our tactics in the second half and it paid off, but we should have done that from the beginning,” he added.
The win leaves Indera with 22 points from 10 games, with Najip I-Team shifting down to third with 21 points. MS ABDB have 27 points from 10 games.
Commenting on the title race, Rosdin said it was still too early to tell how the team will finish.
“Right now we can’t say for sure because we have to see how we fare game by game,” said the manager,
“MS ABDB are in strong form right now… We’ll see how it goes,” he added.
IKLS FC dominated Indera in the first half and got in front when Ak Mohd Abd Halim Pg Hj Hassan chipped goalkeeper Candra Budianto in the 20th minute before Muhammad Hafiy Danan scored a volley in the 39th minute.
Things were looking grim for Indera until a bad challenge from an IKLS defender resulted in a foul against Muhammad Asri, who stepped up to score from the penalty spot late in the first half.
Indera substituted Candra with Abdul Hadi Timbang at the start of the first half, with defender Ak Nurul Aleshahnezan Pg Metali also making way for midfielder Ak Mohammad Haikal Pg Zaidi.
Despite conceding again after a set-piece in the 64th minute, Indera regained some momentum when striker Hamizan scored from headers in the 70th and 78th minutes – with both assists coming from Ak Mohammad Haikal.
Muhd Nur Ikwan would eventually break the deadlock with a chip nine minutes from time to seal the titleholders a valuable win.
Indera will face Jerudong FC at the Berakas Sports Complex on Friday while MS ABDB take on the Royal Brunei Police Force Sports Council (MS PDB) at Tutong Sports Complex on the same night.
Both games are set for 8.15pm.
Najip I-Team, meanwhile, meet Lun Bawang at the Balapan Track & Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas on Sunday.
Kick-off is at 4pm.
