Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
DPMM FC recorded their second ever largest win in the S.League with a 7-1 demolition of the Garena Young Lions last night.
Their biggest victory in the competition is an 8-1 thrashing of Woodlands Wellington in 2014.
It was also the first time this season that the Brunei side have managed back-to-back wins.
Both Rafael Ramazotti and Adi Said bagged a hat-trick each while Daud Gazale got his name on the scoresheet for the second straight game.
DPMM FC came close to breaking the deadlock in the 26th minute through Adi’s powerful freekick from 25 yards out but Young Lions goalkeeper Zharfan Rohaizad went full stretch to keep it out.
Ramazotti then had a chance but his header off the ensuing corner flew inches wide.
Gazale produced a good strike from the edge the box six minutes later only to sail over.
DPMM FC grabbed the lead just before halftime with Ramazotti having his shot cleared off the line by Ilyas Lee for a corner, which he scored with a back header.
Zharfan came to the rescue of the Young Lions on the restart having to go full stretch to keep out Ramazotti’s header before producing another stop to deny the Brazilian on the rebound.
Ramazotti grabbed his second of the match five minutes into the second half nodding home Adi’s cross from the left.
Md Hendra Azam Md Idris (L) with the ball against the Garena Young Lions in the S.League last night. Picture: Yee Chun Leong
It was 3-0 just three minutes later after Gazale sent Adi through to put the ball past Zharfan.
DPMM FC added another the next minute once again with Gazale slipping the ball to Adi.
But this time, Zharfan did enough to cover Adi but the ball was put to the middle for Ramazotti to poke home.
It started raining cats and dogs on the hour mark but it didn’t slow down the hosts.
Gazale continued the onslaught with his effort from outside the area deflecting into goal to make it 5-0.
The Young Lions almost replied immediately but substitute Zulqarnaen Suzliman’s shot came off the crossbar.
Adi added to his tally in the 66th minute after being sent through by Md Hendra Azam Md Idris to fire under Zharfan.
Ramazotti, who has 12 goals to his name so far this season, came close to scoring one more but his low shot from outside the box six minutes later was saved by the Young Lions shotstopper.
DPMM FC’s only blemish of the second half came in the 78th minute.
DPMM FC goalkeeper Ak Mu’izzuddin Pg Ismail pushed away Yeo Hai Ngee’s freekick but it fell to a Young Lions player, who had his shot blocked.
However, Armin made no mistake with it on the third attempt.
Adi then completed his hat-trick two minutes later after nodding home a corner at the near post.
Young Lions could have netted another consolation two minutes from time with Hami trying an shot from 40 yards out with Ak Mu’izzuddin off his line but it flew just wide.
DPMM FC came close to tying their largest victory but Zharfan was there to deny Ramazotti’s header at the death.
DPMM FC coach Steve Kean felt that it was a tale of two halves and praised his charges for stepping up after the break.
“It was a strange game. I thought we were poor in the first half but in the second half we were superb," said Kean after the victory.
"The key was grabbing control and that was what we had in the second half. We stuck to the game plan to every detail and the players deserve credit for that," he added.
The Brunei side will next host Balestier Khalsa FC on Oct 16.
