Tabuan Muda edge past Jerudong FC

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  Jerudong FC’s Reniel Ruani (L) controls the ball during the match against Tabuan Muda during their DST super league match at Balapan Track and Field, Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex yesterday. BT/Zaim Kasmat

Nadzirah Malek-Webb 

 

Bandar Seri Begawan 

 

Monday, September 7, 2015 

THE National Under-23 Youth team, Tabuan Muda, emerged victorious 2-1 against Jerudong FC in a close DST Super League match at the Padang and Balapan Complex, Berakas, yesterday.

Both teams shared points prior to this game with Tabuan in fifth place, above Jerudong FC with a goal difference of seven. The victory helped Tabuan share the fourth place with Wijaya FC. 

Tabuan started off strongly in the beginning of the first half and created several chances to challenge the Jerudong team. 

Tabuan’s Muhd Nur Syazwan Halidi broke the deadlock with an easy chip into goal in just 10 minutes into the game after a defence error from Jerudong with an assist from Tabuan’s captain Mohd Shafie Mohd Effendy. 

The goal did not deter Jerudong as they defended well towards the end of the first half, challenging the youngsters through their counter attack, but failed to find the back of the net.

The second half saw Tabuan Muda pushing for another goal and Muhd Nur Syazwan bagged his second goal of the day after a blunder from Jerudong’s goalkeeper Mohammad Shopian Mat Said. With confidence booming for the young wasps, Jerudong counter-attacked but their momentum was disrupted followed by a challenge from Tabuan’s Mohd Asnawi Abdul Aziz. 

A freekick was awarded right outside of the wasps’ box, and a header cross from the freekick by Jerudong’s Mohammad Bazli Mohammad Said gave a consolation goal for Jerudong.

While speaking to The Brunei Times, Tabuan Muda’s Head coach, Stephen Ng Heng Seng said that the win was a good morale boost for his young team. The coach said his focus was on the development of the team for international competitions than winning the DST Super League campaign itself. “Winning the game today is a good exposure and it’s a good morale booster for our side. The focus though is not the campaign now, but the upcoming competitions such as the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy Tournament next year and in 2017, the Under-22 AFC (The Asian Football Confederation) games.” “From this league, we want to recruit more youngsters, and to see where they are at this stage and what are their shortcomings because we want to prepare as early as possible. We are looking at the development of their performance in the long term than just in the campaign itself,” he added.

The DST Super League continues tonight at 8.15pm with IKLS FC taking on two-time defending champions Indera SC at the Berakas Sports Complex.

The Brunei Times