DPMM FC edge Warriors to move third

Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

DPMM FC moved up to third in the Singapore Premier League after a 2-1 comeback victory over Warriors FC last night.

Ignatius Ang had given the Warriors a first half lead at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas before strikes from Mojtaba Esmaeilzadeh (pic) and Adi Said after the break saw the Brunei side take all three points from the encounter.

DPMM FC are now tied on 18 points with Home United but hold a better goal difference and have two games in hand.

Second-placed Tampines Rovers FC are 10 points ahead after their 5-2 triumph over Balestier Khalsa FC in the other game yesterday.

It remains a one horse race with Albirex Niigata FC (S) at the summit with a perfect 39 points from 13 matches played.

DPMM FC, who are playing their first home game in over two months, started the better team and came close to finding the opener in the 12^th minute.

Adi’s header off a corner at the near post was caught by Warriors goalkeeper Fashah Iskandar.

The Warriors custodian was called into action again moments later having to keep out Volodymyr Pryyomov’s shot.

Instead, the visitors grabbed the lead in the 26^th minute after Ang got the better of his marker before firing off his left foot to beat Haimie Anak Nyaring in between the DPMM FC sticks.

DPMM FC continued to poured forward but Fashah put up some good stops, denying Mojtaba at the near post on the half hour mark and followed with a hand to Suhaimi Anak Sulau’s attempt minutes later.

In what was a rare Warriors attack, Delwinder Singh unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box four minutes before the halftime whistled but it glanced through the crossbar on the way out.

Brian McLean had a chance five minutes into the second half but his header off an Adi freekick was off the mark.

DPMM FC finally equalised in the 56^th minute after Fashah couldn’t handle Adi’s freekick and Mojtaba was the first to the rebound to fire home.

The hosts went in front 10 minutes later after Adi fired a left-footed shot off Fashah and into the net.

Mojtaba had an opportunity to put the game to bed minutes later but couldn’t keep his header on target off a Pyyomov ball into the area.

The hosts went in search for more but couldn’t add to their tally with substitute Shafie Efenddy coming closest in the 89^th minute but he had his shot blocked by Fashah in his first piece of action after coming off the bench.

Warriors did get one last chance in injury time after good work by Daniel Shafiq to get past three defenders only to have his shot saved by Haimie.

DPMM FC will continue their hectic schedule for the month of July against Tampines Rovers FC at Our Tampines Hub in Singapore on Wednesday.

DPMM FC coach Rene Weber: “Most important is that we must win games. Tonight we won and could have scored more. Because sometimes you play good but don’t score despite having chances. We played a very good game especially in the second half. We deserved all three points.”