NAJIP FC reached the final of the DST FA Cup after a hard-fought 2-1
victory over Indera SC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last
night.
The intensity of the rivalry was evident as a consequence of their
numerous duels in the league but records count for nothing when the two
met in the semi-final.
Najip was boosted by the inclusion of Mohd Azri bin Zahari and the
national player made an immediate impact in scoring the opener.
Indera levelled proceedings after Mohd Asri bin Hj Aspar scored the
equaliser on the 37th minute. However, the joy was short-lived for
Indera as Muhd Hanif @ Abd Hadi bin Hamir sparked wild scenes as Najip
FC regained the lead.
Najip FC and Indera SC players in action. – FADHIL YUNUS
Najip pressed for a third but the rhythm slowly moved in favour of Indera and Najip had to supress the unrelenting pressure.
There was late a drama near the end of the match when a Najip player was fouled on the box but they missed the penalty.
Unsurprisingly, Najip chose to slow the game down by going to the
corner flag. They were in the right place at the dying seconds of the
match and the penalty miss did not cost them at the final whistle
.
Only MS ABDB now stand in the way for cup supremacy in the DST FA Cup final.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 24 Dis – MS ABDB kini bergelar finalis Piala FA
DST-NFABD 2014 dengan menjadi pasukan pertama layak ke perlawanan akhir
melalui kemenangan 3-1 ke atas QAF FC di Stadium Negara Hassanal Bolkiah
malam tadi.
MS ABDB sudah mendahului 1-0 seawal minit ke-5 menerusi jaringan
ketua pasukannya, Affendy bin Haji Akup yang mudah menendang masuk bola
ke gawang terbuka QAF FC selepas sepakan percuma rakannya di luar Petak D
terkena tiang kanan gol lawan sebelum melantun ke tengah petak penalti
betul-betul di depan Affendy.
Jika lima minit pertama perlawanan lebih dikawal MS ABDB, perlawanan
selepas gol pertama itu menyaksikan QAF FC mula mengawal perlawanan dan
sering melakukan serangan-serangan bahaya sehingga pada satu ketika Abu
Bakar Mahari mendapati dirinya berdepan 1-Lawan-1 dengan penjaga gol MS
ABDB tetapi bola yang ditendang melambung tinggi melepasi palang.
MS ABDB bernasib baik untuk menyudahkan separuh masa pertama dengan
pendahuluan 2-0 apabila Hardi Anak Bujang yang sebelum ini menjaringkan
dua gol di perlawanan suku akhir dan sebiji gol di separuh akhir untuk
QAF FC menemui sasaran di gawang sendiri pula pada minit ke-43, hanya
dua minit sebelum rehat.
Abu Bakar (kanan) menyaksikan peluang terbaiknya untuk menyamakan kedudukan buat QAF FC melepasi palang atas gawang MS ABDB.
Lans Korporal Haji Md Yussof bin Haji Mat Yassin kemudiannya
memberikan keselesaan kepada MS ABDB dengan jaringannya hanya tujuh
minit selepas bermulanya separuh masa kedua bagi pendahuluan 3-0, yang
menyukarkan lagi tugas QAF FC untuk mengejar.
Walau bagaimanapun QAF FC tidak berputus asa dan terus berusaha untuk
mendapatkan gol yang akhirnya berhasil pada minit ke-71 menerusi
jaringan pemain sayap kanan mudanya, Md Syafiq bin Jefry bagi merubah
kedudukan kepada 1-3.
Jaringan itu memberikan QAF FC ruang 19 minit untuk mendapatkan
sekurang-kurangnya dua gol lagi bagi mengheret perlawanan ke masa
tambahan, namun MS ABDB bertahan cemerlang selepas itu bagi
memuktamadkan keputusan perlawanan 3-1 sekali gus membawanya ke
perlawanan akhir Piala FA DST-NFABD 2014.
Kini MS ABDB hanya perlu menanti siapa lawannya di perlawanan akhir
nanti, antara Indera SC dengan Najip FC, yang akan bertarung malam ini
di Stadium Negara Hassanal Bolkiah bermula pukul 9:00 malam.
MS ABDB qualified for this year’s DST FA Cup final after defeating
QAF FC 3-1 on a rain-soaked Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last
night.
Despite wet conditions in a late evening kick-off, both teams fought
well for a final spot in the country’s premier cup competition.
Affendy bin Hj Akup gave the army side a dream start after opening his team’s account in the 5th minute.
MS ABDB headed into the break with a psychological boost after their
second goal was credited with a Hardi Anak Bujang’s own goal deep into
the first half.
Hj Mohd Yussof bin Hj Mat Yassin let fly a well executed free-kick
for MS ABDB’s third leaving QAF’s goalkeeper Sahan Mumtazli rooted in
his spot.
MS ABDB beat QAF FC 3-1 – FADHIL YUNUS
Soon afterwards, QAF FC was reduced to 10 men for what appeared to be
an off-the-ball incident. The referee was kept busy brandishing three
yellow cards in quick succession after tempers frayed from both set of
players.
QAF FC refused to give in and they pulled one back through a clinical finish by Mohd Syafiq bin Jefry in the 71st minute.
MS ABDB should have added a fourth but their captain Ak Mohd Safri bin Pg Othman fluffed his lines with only the keeper to beat.
MS ABDB will meet the winner of the other semi-final between Indera SC and Najip FC which will be contested tonight.
An Indera SC player (R) tries to get past a Wijaya FC
player during an earlier match. Indera SC will play Najip FC in the
semis of the DST FA Cup 2014 at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in
Berakas tonight.BT/ Sanusi Hussin
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
INDERA
SC are facing a dilemma heading into their DST FA Cup 2014 semi-final
encounter against Najip FC tonight at the Hassanal Bolkiah National
Stadium in Berakas.
The two-time DST Super League champions will be missing the services of defender Abdul Mu’iz Sisa due to suspension.
Indera head coach Hj Omar Hj Md Jamil is left with a headache to put in the right replacement ahead of the matchup.
“We have a problem because we will be missing Mu’iz due to two yellow cards,” said Hj Omar in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.
“We will go with the same team like we used against Wijaya FC (in the
4-0 quarter-finals victory) but we have yet to decide who will be able
to fill in his position,” he said.
“Najip FC are a strong team overall from the goalkeeper to the
striker. It will be a closely contested match and can go any way,” he
added.
Asked on what to watch out for against their opponents, Hj Omar replied: “We will have to avoid making any mistakes.
“I believe whichever the team that make the first mistake will lose.
But we do hope that we will be the ones to progress into the final,” he
added.
The last time both teams met was back on September 7 in the DST Super
League whereby Indera strolled to a 5-1 triumph at the same venue.
Najip head coach Johari Hj Bungsu believes that they are the underdogs and know that it will be tough to upend their opponents.
“Indera SC are a team filled with good players and are the favourites. The pressure is on them to win the match,” said Johari.
“We will be looking at fielding a young side as it is different from competing in the league.
”We need to be consistent throughout the 90 minutes and extra time if it is needed,” he added.
“They (young side) have better stamina and just need to remain
focused throughout the match and not commit any mistakes. We will
definitely give them a good fight,” he continued.
Johari also highlighted that the change in schedule for the matchup to be brought forward also hampered preparations.
Regardless of the result today, the Najip head coach will still be proud of his charges.
“Regardless of a win or loss, it is still a good year for the team
after finishing third in the Super League and making it this far in the
FA Cup,” said Johari.
“But of course hopefully we will be able to make it into the final,” he concluded.
THE
Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) are one win away
from defending their DST FA Cup after beating QAF FC 3-1 in the
semi-finals at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas last
night.
They will play the winner of tonight‘s semi-final clash between Najip FC and Indera Sports Club for the title on January 4.
“Alhamdulillah we are in the final once again. I think QAF
played very well but we were better,” said MS ABDB manager Major Pg
Farisan Pg Metassan in an interview with The Brunei Times after the match.
“Luck was on our side too and all the hard work in training paid off tonight.
“Now we need to prepare well for the final and may the best team win on that day,” he said.
MS ABDB got their dream start early in the 5th minute through defender Affendy Hj Akup.
The centre-back found the back of the net after bouncing on a rebound
after captain Ak Mohd Safri Pg Othman struck the wood work.
QAF FC’s Muhd Abu Bakar Mahari should have equalised when he was set
through inside the penalty box but the striker fired the ball over the
bar.
Muhd Haizul Rani Metusin squandered the chance to double his team’s lead when his volley went wide at the half hour mark.
MS ABDB continued to press for more goals and they were rewarded just
before the half-time whistle when QAF's midfielder Hardi Anak Bujang
accidentally headed in Adey Shariduan's cross for an own goal.
QAF were slightly better in the second-half, threatening first
through Afindi Yati Tuah and then Muhd Abu Bakar but neither found a way
past MS ABDB goalkeeper Mohd Tarmizi Hj Mat Johari.
It was the army men again who found the net when Hj Mohd Yusof Hj Mat Yassin scored from a free-kick in the 52nd minute.
Mohd Syafiq Jeffrey pulled one goal back for QAF FC when he headed
home Mohd Hardyman Hj Abdul Lamit’s perfect cross from the right in the
71st minute.
Ak Mohd Safri should have made it 4-1 in the 80th minute when he was
set through by Adey Shariduan – with only the goalkeeper to beat – but
the captain fired the ball over the bar.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 17 Dis – QAF FC berjaya mara ke suku akhir Piala
FA DST-NFABD 2014 setelah menang tipis 2-1 ke atas pemenang tempat
ketiga Liga Perdana DST 2014, BSRC FT malam tadi.
Pada perlawanan di Kompleks Sukan Berakas (KSB) berkenaan, QAF FC
menguasai perlawanan sedari sepak mula lagi dengan serangan-serangan
bahaya dan beberapa percubaan tepat ke gawang BSRC FT.
Walaubagaimanapun, QAF FC hanya berjaya memecah kebuntuan pada minit
ke-32 menerusi jaringan penyerangnya, Hardi Anak Bujang, yang
kemudiannya sempat menjaringkan gol kedua peribadi dan pasukannya di
minit terakhir separuh masa pertama.
Mendahului 2-0 ketika perlawanan dimulakan semula selepas rehat, QAF
FC meneruskan penguasaannya tetapi gagal untuk menambahkan jaringan bagi
memberikan BSRC FT sedikit kelegaan dan keyakinan untuk melakukan
kebangkitan.
Antara aksi menarik persaingan sengit peringkat 16 Terakhir Piala FA QAF FC dan BSRC FT.
Kebangkitan itu jelas membuahkan hasil apabila tanpa disangka BSRC FT
berjaya membolosi gawang QAF FC untuk merapatkan kembali jaringan pada
minit ke-77 hasil percubaan Herman bin Hasanal.
Namun ternyata jaringan itu menjadi jaringan terakhir perlawanan
untuk memuktamadkan keputusan 2-1 berpihak kepada QAF FC, sekaligus
membawa QAF FC layak ke pusingan seterusnya.
Lawannya di peringkat suku akhir pada 20 Disember nanti di Padang
& Balapan, Kompleks Sukan Negara Hassanal Bolkiah (KSNHB) ialah MS
Polis Diraja Brunei, yang sudah lebih awal mara melalui kemenangan 2-0
ke atas NFABD ‘A’ pada 9 Disember lalu.
