Indera appeal for rematch against Tabuan Muda

Indera SC captain Shahrin Hj Momin (L) marked by two Tabuan Muda players during their DST Super League match on Sunday. The referee stopped the game when Shahrin was sent off for a second yellow card in the 61st minute, reducing the team to just eight players on the field. However, the decision was not in line with FIFA rules and Indera have appealed to have the game played again.BT/Zaim Kasmat

Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Thursday, October 29, 2015

DETHRONED champions Indera Sports Club (SC) have appealed to have last Sunday’s abandoned DST Super League match against Tabuan Muda (the national Under-23 team) replayed.

The game at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas was called off after 61 minutes when Indera captain Shahrin Hj Momin was sent off for a second yellow card, reducing the team to just eight players on the field.

The referee immediately stopped the game - which was goalless - and explained that it could not continue if one side has only eight players in the team.

However, the decision was not in line with FIFA rules.

In ‘Laws of the Game 2015/2016’, Law 3 states that “A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than eleven players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A match may not start if either team consists of fewer than seven players.”

Referring to the above rule, Indera head coach Hj Omar Hj Jamil believes that the referee made a mistake by calling off the game - and that they should be given an opportunity to play again.

“We want a replay,” said Hj Omar after a meeting with the tournament committee at the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) Office in Berakas yesterday.

“The referee stopped the game when it shouldn’t be stopped. We had eight players on the field and not seven.

“The only solution for us is to have the game to be replayed… We consider it to be one of our important matches of the season as we are targeting to finish second,” he added.

Indera are now third in the table with 32 points, one point behind Najip I-Team - who are on 33 points.

Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) secured their maiden DST Super League title on Friday with two games left to play.

The DST Super League tournament committee yesterday said they are seriously addressing the matter and that decision will be made in due time.

Tabuan Muda head coach Stephen Ng Heng Seng is open to any decisions made by the organising tournament committee.

“Tabuan Muda was set up as a development team to keep the elite players together to prepare for future international games and, we have always wanted to keep raising the intensity of our game like this one,” said the coach.

“We welcome as many competitive matches as possible in our development.

“I thought the football was good out there as both teams tried to play fast football… It was an unfortunate (the game got called off) due to the intensity of the game,” added Ng.

The Brunei Times