Written by: Aysha Ridzuan

Hougang United remained in sixth-placed with four points on the 2016 Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League table after after a goalless draw against Brunei DPMM at Hougang Stadium on Friday night.

Despite both sides having a plethora of chances to score throughout the game, they failed to convert them when it mattered.

The hosts started well when they created their first chance barely three minutes into game when Faiz Salleh tried a shot from inside the box, but a DPMM defender was quick to volley the ball away.

Faiz had another chance to break the deadlock for the Cheetahs in the 21st minute, but he failed to convert a pass from Stipe Plazibat who had made a run from the left after being played through by Jozef Kaplan.

Azwan Ali then wasted DPMM’s second free-kick of the night in the 22nd minute, sending his free-kick straight into the arms of Hougang custodian Khairulhin Khalid.

The Cheetahs had another golden opportunity to open the scoring again minutes later when captain Kaplan made a quick turn from inside the box, but saw his snap-shot hit the woodwork instead.

DPMM subsequently wasted their own opportunity to draw first blood after Rafael Ramazotti’s defence-splitting pass sent Paulo Sergio through on goal. However, Khairulhin was alert to the danger and collected the ball comfortably.

The visitors began the second-half the brighter of the two sides, when Ramazotti launched a ferocious shot from inside the box, but Nazrul Nazari was quick to volley away the ball.

Hougang United coach K.Balagumaran decide that the Cheetahs needed more spark upfront and made the first substitution of the game when he brought in midfielder Fumiya Kogure for Adi Hudzaifi in the 56th minute.

Instead, it was the visitors that continue to threaten as Azwan a good chance to break the deadlock with a pass from Sergio just in front of the goal 10 minutes from time, but saw his effort hacked away by substitute Delwinder Singh.

The Cheetahs thought they had snatched maximum points in stoppage time when Wahyudi Wahid headed the ball into the back of the net from Kogure’s free kick. However, to the hosts’ dismay, the flag was already up for offside.

Hougang United coach, K.Balagumaran: “DPMM probably came with a gameplan. They were sitting back deep and they tried to counter attack.

“They probably they knew we will come at them so a point would be good for them but if you asked me,  it’s not fair for me to take a point from this game.”

Brunei DPMM coach Steve Kean: “I think we had the best chances to win the game, even though they thought that the goal was a goal but I’ve looked at it again and I think it was offside and it was an early flag.

“We are slightly disappointed with a point, to think that we had enough chances to win the game.”

Hougang United: Khairuldin Khalid, Wahyudi Wahid, Faiz Salleh, Yusiskandar Yusop (Delwinder Singh 61’), Ali Hudzaifi (Fumiya Kogure 56’), Fairoz Hasan, M.Anumanthan, Jozef Kaplan (C), Raihan Rahman, Nazrul Nazari, Stipe Plazibat

Brunei DPMM: Wardun Yussof (GK), Yura Indera Putera, Abdul Aziz Tamit (Awangku Fakharrazi 87’), Helmi Zembin, Sairol Sahari, Azwan Salleh, Azwan Ali, Maududi Kasmi (Khairul Anwar 82’), Rosmin Kamis (Nurikhwan Othman 68’), Rafael Ramazotti, Paulo Se