DPMM FC and Home United share the spoils
| Jake Ten |
A NERVE-wracking game at the Bishun Stadium last night saw DPMM FC and Home United share the spoils in a 0-0 stalemate.
The highly anticipated fixture was delayed for 20 minutes when the lightning alert went off three minutes into the game despite a clear sky.
Despite retaining only five players from last season, it was Lee Lim-Saeng’s men who started out the brightest, their short passing game allowing them to dictate possession in the early exchanges.
All eyes were on South Korean Lee Kwan-Woo, but it was another new signing who stole the show yesterday.
Fullback Sirina Camara, signed in the off-season from Courts Young Lions, was causing havoc for DPMM FC down the left flank, skinning defenders and whipping crosses into the box at will.
Lee Kwan-Woo’s free-kick in the 23rd minute was headed away by Subhi Abdilah, before Hafiz Rahman blazed over from Indra Sahdan Daud’s lay-off after some good build-up play by Jordan Webb and Firdaus Idros.
Rosmin Kamis came close for DPMM FC in the 28th minute, but his drive from outside the box was held by Jang Hong-Won.
Noh Rahman then made an important block to deny Ivan Bosnjak when the Croatian appeared to be clean through on goal.
Japanese forward Masato Fukui was unlucky to see his effort trickle past the left post, but it was Lee Kwan-Woo who should have put the protectors ahead, the 34-year old failing to make the right connection with Jordan Webb’s center.
Webb, Idros and Camara all combined for another gilt-edged chance just before the break, but once more they were lacking a cutting edge in the 18-yard box.
A second lightning alert saw the teams remain in the tunnel at half time for another 20 minutes, with Indra Sahdan Daud being replaced by Aliff Shafaein for the restart.
Lee Kwan-Woo came close again from a set-piece seven minutes into the second half, but Wardun Yussof was equal to it once more.
Camara was proving to be a handful down the left, drawing fouls from both Subhi Abdilah and Shahrazen Said midway through the half, with both DPMM FC players being cautioned for their actions.
The introductions of Adi Said and Abdul Aziz Tamit had no significant impact on the game as Home United piled on the pressure in search of the winner.
Aliff Shafaein could have settled the tie in the 85th minute after the 30-year old beat the offside trap, but his shot was awkwardly palmed away by Wardun.
It ended 0-0, but DPMM FC would have been more than happy to walk away with a point. The result saw Tampines Rovers take an early advantage in this season’s title race after the defending champions hammered Geylang International 5-0 the previous night.
DPMM FC will now turn their attention to next week’s game against Hougang United, their first home game of the season, with nothing short of a win expected of the S League runners-up.
