The recently-concluded Brunei Super League (BSL) 2024/2025 season saw Kasuka FC claim the title on the final day of the season in a dramatic finale.
The league kicked off in earnest with pre-tournament favourites Indera SC, Kota Ranger, Kasuka FC and DPMM FC managing victories in the opening day.
With the league opening its curtains, Indera SC defeated MS PPDB 2-0 while Kasuka made a statement after scoring nine past Lun Bawang.
DPMM FC formed a second team in their attempt to secure a national championship as they hunt for a second major silverware since lifting the FA Cup in 2022.
And the Gegar Gegar men made a positive start as they beat four-time winners MS ABDB 2-1 with new Spanish signing Sergio Mendiguchia Iglesias bagging a double.
MS ABDB had earlier taken the lead a minute before half-time through forward Hariz Danial Khallidden.
In the second round of fixtures, MS ABDB bounced back with a stylish 5-1 win over AKSE Bersatu.
AKSE Bersatu are undoubtedly the most improved team in the 2023 season, reaching the dizzying heights of second place at one stage in match day six.
With four victories, one draw and one loss including a thrilling 1-1 draw against MS ABDB under their belt, the Kampong Setia-based team unlikely found themselves among the whereabouts of the title race.
Defending champions Kasuka FC blasted 10 goals past a hapless Jerudong FC with four of those coming from Willian dos Santos.
It was not quite a straightforward match for title-chasing DPMM FC who laboured to a 2-0 win against MS PPDB courtesy of goals from Marcelo Junior and Sergio Mendiguchia Iglesias.
Kota Ranger secured a second successive win after beating Wijaya FC 4-1 in a potentially tricky tie.
Indera SC also kept their winning streak going with a resounding 10-0 victory over Lun Bawang at the Batu Apoi Sports Complex in Temburong District.
In match day three, Kasuka passed their test with flying colours to win 3-1 against MS ABDB at the Berakas Sports Complex.
Kota Ranger remain in contention with a 3-0 win against Panchor Murai but Indera SC slipped to a 2-0 loss against DPMM FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.
Indera SC slipped further in the title race following a goalless draw against MS ABDB in a match where in previous seasons would have been a title decider.
That left with Kota Ranger, Kasuka FC and DPMM FC as the remaining teams with a perfect win record so far with four consecutive wins.
All three extended their winning run in matchday five after dispatching their opponents with relative ease.
In a week that could see a contender surrender their perfect record, Kasuka came on top in a 5-1 win against title rivals Kota Ranger, whose title hopes were all but extinguished.
DPMM FC were in merciless form in the 12-1 win over Lun Bawang which was then the biggest win of the season.
But in matchday seven, Kasuka and Indera SC traded blows to share the points in a 2-2 draw, opening the door for DPMM FC as the only team with the perfect winning run.
Sure enough, DPMM FC made sure they capitalised on the teams losing ground with a 7-0 win against Wijaya FC.
Kasuka, who are embarking history of preserving an unbeaten record for consecutive seasons, cruised to a 9-1 win over AKSE Bersatu while DPMM FC were involved in a six-goal thriller against KB in a 4-2 win.
Realistically, Kota Ranger have to make do of a target of finishing third place by the time they slipped to a 1-0 defeat to MS ABDB.
Elsewhere, DPMM FC survived Rimba Star, a potential team who could cause damage to their title hopes as a solitary goal from Mendiguchia separated the two sides.
Most commentators would consider Rimba Star as underdogs but they showed championship form with successive wins in their opening four games.
Likely to have been withdrawn in the title race, Indera SC continued to push for third place with a 2-0 win over Panchor Murai.
In the battle for third place, Kota Ranger went back on track with a 2-0 win over MS PPDB, but Indera SC showed no signs of a slip-up with a 4-1 win over BSRC.
Meanwhile in the championship race, DPMM FC breezed to a 10th consecutive win after triumphing 8-1 over Panchor Murai.
Equally, the reigning holders Kasuka were also in scintillating form after adding a 9-0 win over KB.
Kasuka remained in contention for the title after destroying teams at will with Rimba Star their latest victim.
DPMM FC made sure that they remained top with a 5-0 win over Jerudong despite the latter best interests to frustrate the leaders in the opening half.
With third place still up for grabs, Indera SC ran riot in a 6-0 win against Kota Ranger, effectively killing the latter’s hopes of overtaking them.
In match day 12, Kasuka set a record for the biggest win of the season after mauling Panchor Murai 19-0, eclipsing the 12-1 win set by DPMM FC against Lun Bawang.
Indera SC sealed third place with a resounding 12-1 win against Rimba Star, who lost their last four matches including conceding a whooping 23 goals in their last two.
The last weekend of the BSL witnessed the title race going down the wire with either DPMM FC and Kasuka FC having a shot for the grand prize.
The mathematical possibility is simple with DPMM FC needing to avoid defeat to secure their first Super League crown while only a win would do for Kasuka FC.
On the bottom of the table, basement dwellers Lun Bawang set an unwanted record of losing all their matches in the league.
Interestingly, Lun Bawang were the first team not to win any of their matches in the entire season since Najip FC in the first installment of the BSL in 2012.
While the final fixture of the season was the rescheduled clash between KB and BSRC, the season-ending clash between DPMM FC and Kasuka FC has all the ingredients of a grand finale.
The highly-charged affair lived up to its reputation as a potential classic but it was Kasuka FC who were the likelier side to conjure the opening goal.
In all of the matches DPMM FC were involved in, neither have tested the=m in the same intensity and aggression as Kasuka whose menacing threat was palpable whether down the channel or in the middle of the park.
So it was well deserved that Kasuka took the lead through an absolute stunner from Willian dos Santos, an effort which would have been worthy not just winning the match but the title.
The title swung in the favour of DPMM FC again when Sergio Mendiguchia Iglesias stroke the ball home after beating the offside trap.
Kasuka took the lead as Willian converted from the spot in the 31st minute to go on the break not just the advantage of the lead but the outlook of the title race.
Kasuka, who gained promotion to the top flight in 2015 and have gone from strength to strength since, were in dreamland as Willian completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute.
It was also a personal achievement for the Brazilian who moved as the leading scorer outright with 35 goals.
Despite Matias Hernandez pulling one back for DPMM FC, it was too late to make a late rally as Kasuka FC won back-to-back crowns in some style.
It was a cruel end for DPMM FC, who slipped when it mattered in what was their only defeat of the season.
But, Kasuka FC cemented their position in the history books after staying undefeated for two consecutive seasons with 28 wins and one draw. – Fadhil Yunus
