MS ABDB through to semi-finals

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Hadi Md Husain 

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

GOALS from L/Cpl Mohd Baharin Hamidon and Pvt Mohd Fadhli Hj Awg Salleh powered the Royal Brunei Armed Force’s Sports Council (MS ABDB) into the semi-final of the 2nd Brunei Darussalam National Games (SKBD) football tournament after defeating Tutong 2-0 in their Group A match last night.

A mistake from Tutong’s goalkeeper after he tried to save MS ABDB’s Pvt Budiman Jumat’s cross from the left was punished by Baharin, who comfortably steered the ball to the back of the net in the 61st minute.

Fadhli slotted the second goal late in injury time after he dribbled past Tutong’s last defender to secure the victory.

MS ABDB sit at the top of Group A after the victory and will meet Belait in the semi-finals while Group B leader, the Royal Brunei Police Force's Sports Council (MS PDB), will go against Brunei-Muara in the other semi-final match.

Both semi-final matches will be played tomorrow.

MS ABDB’s manager Major (A) Pg Md Farisan Pg Hj Metassan believed his squad controlled about 70 per cent of ball possession and said that the team’s physical conditioning and teamwork were the key to their victory.

“Our team managed to maintain the ball possession throughout the game and they were threatening when going forward,” he said during an interview with The Brunei Times.

“We also have the upper hand in terms of fitness, and the players also communicate well with each other on the field,” he added.

He also mentioned the team’s weakness in wasting a lot of goal scoring chances in front of goal.

“We need to improve our finishing touch and be more clinical in front of goal,” he said.

“Other than that, our team performed well and I believe defensive midfielder Pvt Affendy Hj Akup was tonight’s man of the match.

“He did well in controlling the tempo of the game and he was influential in initiating our attacking play,” he added.

Elsewhere, Brunei Shell Joint Venture (BSJV) won 6-3 against Temburong at the Berakas Sports Complex while MS PDB defeated Royal Brunei FC (RB FC) 1-0 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.

The Brunei Times