Fadhil Yunus
The Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (FABD) has announced the full list of the national football team that will be playing in an international friendly match against Laos at the New Laos National Stadium on March 27.
The official 18-member squad, dominated by 11 DPMM FC players, include two goalkeepers Wardun Yussof and Ishyra Asmin Jabidi. The defenders are Pengiran Mohammad Fakharazzi, Helmin Zambin, Wafi Aminuddin, Hanif Hamir, Afi Aminuddin, Amirul Hakeem, Nazhan Zulkiflee, Nurikhwan Othman and Hazwan Hamzah.
The midfield features a quartet of Azwan Ali Rahman, Eddy Omar, Abdul Hariz Herman and Alinur Rashimy, while Razimie Ramlli, Azizi Ali Rahman and Hakeme Yazid Said make up the attacking line.
Seven uncapped players at senior international level have been called up to the squad namely MS ABDB goalkeeper Ishyra Asmin Jabidi, Indera SC defender Amirul Hakeem, Kasuka FC trio Alinur Rashimy, Eddy Omar and Nazhan Zulkiflee, MS ABDB midfielder Abdul Hariz Herman and DPMM FC’s Hakeme Yazid Said.
Meanwhile, the team of officials, led by Manager Pengiran Haji Mohd Waslimin bin Pengiran Setia Jaya Pengiran Haji Abdul Momin, comprise Assistant Team Manager Ah Chua Bangau, head coach Haji Mohd Rosanan Abdullah Samak, assistant head coach Muhammad Ali Mustafa, goalkeeping coach Atsushi Hanita, fitness coaches Matus Bozik and Rosmin Haji Mohd Kamis, physiotherapist Mohammad Faisal Hashim and kitman Mohd Hazim Hamzah.
The Laos team encounter, which falls during the FIFA international window, will be Haji Rosanan’s first match in charge of the national team as head coach.
The Wasps will also be back in the international scene for the first time since the World Cup qualifiers against Mongolia in June 2019.
The national team was originally scheduled to play against Timor Leste in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup qualification match last December in Singapore.
However, they withdrew from the qualifiers amid the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the Sultanate, resulting in an automatic entry into the main draw for Timor Leste.
Brunei’s last meeting with Laos, who are currently one place above them in the FIFA world rankings, was during the third-place playoff of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Solidarity Cup at Kuching, Malaysia in November 2016.
The national team will be looking to end their winless run against a Laotian side who had recorded all victories in their last six meetings.
