Battle for DST Sumbangsih Cup

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

INDERA SC’s head coach Haji Omar bin Haji Jamil wants to add the DST FA Cup to his growing list of major honours during a press conference for the DST Sumbangsih Cup between Indera SC and MS ABDB at the NFABD House yesterday.

The DST FA Cup is the only notable silverware missing from their cabinet after winning back-to-back DST Super League titles in 2013 and 2014 as well as the DST Sumbangsih Cup last year.

Indera will face the current holders of both trophies MS ABDB in tonight’s contest at the Balapan Track and Field of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex at 8.15pm.

MS ABDB team manager Major (A) Razanol Hardi Abd Razak admitted that they will not be coming into the match 100 percent with a number of their players still recovering from their success last year.

“For MS ABDB our training methods and programmes so far that we’ve employed last year, it worked for us last year. We are maintaining the status quo however last year it took our toll.”

“We are not going to be up to 100 percent yet for tomorrow’s match,” said the team manager.
Indera has begun training at the end of January this year and they have stepped up their preparations with evening training sessions.

Indera SC and MS ABDB representatives holding the DST Sumbangsih Cup.
– PHOTO: FADHIL YUNUS

They have lost one of their key players Nur Ikhwan Othman who has joined DPMM FC though the club is starting life without the influential forward with three or four replacements.

Haji Omar said that retaining the DST Sumbangsih Cup title they’ve won against the same opponents will be a difficult job though they will do their best to challenge MS ABDB.

The Indera head coach rates a 50-50 chance against the army personnel in the season’s traditional curtain raiser.

“Indera SC have added new players who have previously represented the national team in the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy in 2012 and 2014,” he added.

Indera SC have also bolstered their attacking options with the arrival of last season’s DST Super League top scorer Hardi Bujang in the squad, who last played for Jerudong FC.

Indera SC and MS ABDB have consistently engaged in exciting duels over the last few seasons and Razanol is expecting a stern test against their fierce rivals.

“We’re expecting a very tough challenge by Indera and we have played each other a lot of times. They always surprised us in every match. To say we are going to win is not a good thing.”

“To say we are trying to win as hard as we can is an honest answer,” the MS ABDB team manager added.

Apart from stating the obvious, two-time winners Indera SC have listed Wijaya FC, Najip I-Team and Tabuan Muda as their main threats to derail their title bid ahead of the new DST Super League season while holders MS ABDB have identified newly promoted Kasuka FC as a major force.

National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) has been making huge strides towards enhancing the professionalism of football in the country.

The DST Super and Premier Leagues in the 2016 season have seen an important overhaul with the requirement of ID passes for every player in compliance with international standards.

Each team shall be present at the match venue one hour before the scheduled kick-off, explained Acting Competition Director Dayem Haji Ali.

Each team before leaving their changing rooms to perform a warm-up prior to the match must already be prepared to submit a start-up list at least 20 minutes after arriving at the venue.