Easy win for Najip FC

Najip FC’s Ampuan Mohd Endy Azri Ampuan Hj Idris (C) celebrates with Mohd Azri Zahari (L) and Mohd Fakhrul Razi Muhd Rasyid after scoring the team’s third goal against LLRC FT in their DST Super League match at the Tutong Sports Complex last night. Najip won 4-0.BT/Yee Chun Leong

Yee Chun Leong

TUTONG 

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

NAJIP FC dominated from start to finish last night when they eased past Liang Lumut Recreational Club (LLRC) FT 4-0 in their DST Super League clash.

The win sees Najip leapfrog the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) to third place with 16 points from eight games while LLRC remain fifth in the 10-team table with 12 points to their name.

Najip saw plenty of ball possession at the Tutong Sports Complex and Mohd Azri Zahari should have scored in the 20th minute after chipping the onrushing LLRC keeper Md Syafiq Shadan, but his effort was way over the crossbar.

Najip got another opportunity 10 minutes later with Mohd Azri setting up Abang Norsilmy Abang Hj Taha, who fired just wide of the post.

LLRC almost got in front through Md Hakeem Keri in the 38th minute after he received a good through ball in the box, but despite beating Najip keeper Ron Junior Philip, the ball was inches off the target.
Mohd Azri finally broke the deadlock for Najip in the 43rd minute after heading home a cross from the left by Ampuan Mohd Endy Azri Ampuan Hj Idris.

They doubled their lead the next minute with Mohd Azri setting up Abang Norsilmy on the left to fire home past the LLRC custodian.

Najip started the second half the same way they completed the first.

Captain Muhd Karimurrizal Kasmi almost got his name on the scoresheet in the 54th minute after his free-kick rattled the crossbar, and there was more misery for LLRC in the 64th minute when Md Syafiq failed to handle a long-range effort.

Mohd Azri was fastest to the rebound and he unselfishly passed the ball to Ampuan Mohd Endy Azri to blast it home.

Najip continued to move forward but could not add to their lead despite two good looks by Mohd Azri.
Substitute Abang Nur Hilman Abang Nor Hillmy then killed off the match with a goal in the 83rd minute after just getting on the pitch.

Najip manager Hj Rahman Hj Ali was delighted with the win, especially since they lost their first meeting to LLRC 1-0 back in March in what was their first defeat of the season.

Najip were coming into the game winless in their last two games - they lost their last game to MS ABDB 2-1 before a 2-2 draw with Jerudong FC - giving Hj Rahman more cause for celebration.

“I’m very happy with the performance and it is great to get back to winning,” said Hj Rahman in an interview with The Brunei Times after the triumph.

“It is good to avenge our loss to LLRC. We played well even though we didn’t have a full team with key players out with injuries.

“The players have been working hard and they showed good teamwork, but I believe we can play even better and hopefully we do so in the next match,” he concluded.

The league continues today with defending champions and current leaders Indera SC going up against Jerudong FC at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

The other match pits MS ABDB against Majra FC at the Berakas Sports Complex. Both start at 8.15pm.