Story by Koh Yizhe/Red Sports. Photos by Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports.

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Abdelhamid Berguiga (Brunei DPMM, #10) slides in the team’s third goal of the night. (Photo 1 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

Jurong West Stadium, Friday, June 5, 2009 – Singapore Armed Forces FC suffered their second consecutive defeat as they fell 3-0 to Brunei DPMM in the 2009 League Cup group stage.

Last week, they lost to Home United 2-1 to fall to second place on the S.League table, one point behind leaders Gombak United.

After having beaten Albirex Niigata (S) in their previous match up in Group A, Brunei DPMM now progress to the quarter-final while SAFFC have a winner-takes-all match against Albirex Niigata next Monday.

With one eye on the Albirex Niigata match and missing the likes of Therdsak Chaiman (SAFFC, #8) due to injury, Coach Richard Bok fielded a relatively surprising lineup against the foreign powerhouse.

Park Tae Won (SAFFC, #18), Daniel Bennett (SAFFC, #16) and regular goalkeeper Shahril Jantan (SAFFC, #14) were all watching from the bench, as Zulfadli Zainal Abibin (SAFFC, #21), Razaleigh Khalik (SAFFC, #13) and Toh Guo An (SAFFC, #1) took their respective spots.

SAFFC went on the attack right from the first minute with Shaiful Esah (SAFFC, #2) almost scoring from a free kick that the Brunei DPMM goal keeper did well to deflect away.

Four minutes later, Mustaqim Manzur (SAFFC, #19) missed a beautifully placed cross in the goalkeeper's box as he failed to connect with the ball.

Aleksandar Duric (SAFFC, #9) sent a header into goalkeeper's hands before Brunei DPMM had their first chance. Adbelhamid Berguiga (Brunei DPMM, #10) broke away from Razaleigh to take a spectacular shot at goal which beat SAFFC goalkeeper Toh Guo An but flew just past the goal.

This sparked DPMM into action as they started going on the offensive in search of the opening goal, with Adbelhamid Berguiga and team mate Ivan Jerkovic (#12) setting up several shots at goal.

The only credible attack by SAFFC was in the 24th minute when Aleksandar Duric received a long cross with his head, before slamming the ball right into the Brunei DPMM keeper's hands.

With the pressure on the Warriors, it wasn't long before Brunei DPMM scored in the 27th minute.

A violent tackle by Hafiz Osman on Sairol Sahari (Brunei DPMM, #3) at the edge of the area saw the latter clutching his head in pain. Ivan Jerkovic stepped up and sent it into the top right corner of the goal beyong the despairing dive of keeper Toh Guo An.

Frustration showed as Ahmad Latiff (SAFFC, #7) found himself in the referee's book in the 29th minute for rough behaviour when he almost trampled Hamid after the later roughed him up in a tackle.

SAFFC seemed unable to get past the DPMM keeper Wardun Yussof as their shots almost always ended up in his hands.

In the 34th minute, Brunei DPMM thought they had scored a second goal from a cross, only to have it disallowed for an apparent handball. But they weren't about to be denied when they scored their second just before half time.

Shahrazen Said (Brunei DPMM, #22) had the easiest of tap-ins when he was put through with the lackluster SAFFC defense trailing.

Much of the same followed after the break, with SAFFC playing catch-up. John Wilkinson had a shot from distance saved, before Latiff came close with a free kick from the edge of the area.

At the other end, Ivan Jerkovic had a chance when he broke away from the SAFFC defense along the right in the 55th minute. But his pass to Adbelhamid Berguiga was poor and the Singapore side escaped without conceding.

SAFFC were on the back foot and were clearly frustrated as Shaiful Esah buried his head in the hands when he skied a free kick from a good position. Zulfadli Zainal Abidin also showed it when he was booked for a hard challenge.

John Wilkinson came close in the 63rd minute when he blasted his shot against the upright after doing well to make a shot in a tight position. But that was the last of SAFFC's chances before Brunei DPMM scored their third.

Another Brunei DPMM counter attack in the 75th minute found the ball threaded through to Adbelhamid Berguiga who beat the offside trap and demonstrated nerves of steel to send his shot beyond Toh Guo An, giving Brunei DPMM a 3-0 lead.

With the comfortable lead, Brunei DPMM had the freedom to throw men forward and Adbelhamid Berguiga had a great chance to double his tally four minutes later.

An Ivan Jerkovic cross from the right found him unmarked, but his open header was just wide of the post.

John Wilkinson had the best chance of the half for SAFFC a minute later. The ball was slipped to him inside the area, but with the keeper beaten, he sent his shot against the bar, instead of the wide open net in front of him.

Aleksandar Duric summed up SAFFC's night with a volley from a corner that went wide in the 90th minute.

SAFFC coach Richard Bok felt it was the wasted chances that were the reason for the defeat.

"We had our chances, especially in the first half, but we couldn't convert. For them, they took their chances and that's why they won. We lost to a team that has more hunger and is more organised."

When asked about the Albirex Niigata match on Monday, he said: "There is no two ways about it: we have to win. Park Tae Won and Daniel Bennett will definitely feature in that match as they were resting for this one. Therdsak Chaiman will be out till the end of the month."

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Sairol Sahari (Brunei DPMM, #3) controls the ball while pursued by John Wilkinson (SAFFC, #10). (Photo 2 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Hamid tries to avoid a tackle from Hafiz Osman (SAFFC, #4). (Photo 3 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Hafiz Osman clears the ball away. (Photo 4 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Hafiz Osman helps up Hamid who slipped while making a shot. (Photo 5 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Kenji Arai (SAFFC, #3) slides in to tackle Oh Ddog Yi (Brunei DPMM, #8). (Photo 6 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Masahiro Fukasawa (SAFFC, #6) prevents Hardi Bujang (Brunei DPMM, #9) from getting to the ball. (Photo 7 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Hamid sees his shoe come off after a tackle by Masahiro Fukasawa. (Photo 8 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Hardi Bujang goes up for a header. (Photo 9 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Masahiro Fukasawa tackles Azman Ilham Noor (Brunei DPMM, #1). (Photo 10 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

Brunei DPMM celebrate their third goal… (Photo 11 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)

brunei dpmm vs saffc league cup

… as their supporters cheer them on. (Photo 12 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)