Written by: Phoon Jia Hui

Despite putting up a gallant fight, Tanjong Pagar United still fell short as they were beaten 2-0 by Brunei DPMM in the 2014 StarHub League Cup final at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday evening.

Strikes on either side of half-time from Boris Raspudic and Adi Said were enough to give the Sultanate’s only professional team their third League Cup trophy and Steve Kean’s first piece of silverware with DPMM.

With Rodrigo Tosi suspended, Kean started Adi alongside Roy O’Donovan upfront and the former looked lively in the opening stages with the game’s first real chance coming after twelve minutes.

Receiving a pass from Azwan Saleh, Azwan Ali then proceeded to take a shot on goal but Tanjong Pagar custodian Aurelien Herisson was equal and kept it out at the near post.

However, it was not as though the Jaguars did not have any chances of their own as they carved out one on 22 minutes when Sebastien Etiemble sent in a low cross but Monsef Zerka just failed to get a touch to it.

They came even closer shortly after the half-hour mark when Ahmad Latiff got onto the end of Kamel Ramdani’s corner but his bullet header from close range was saved by Wardun.

Those misses proved costly as Tanjong Pagar eventually conceded in the 35th minute. Rising highest to meet Hendra Azam’s corner, an unmarked Raspudic then glanced home a header which found the bottom corner for the lead.

Still, the Jaguars refused to throw in the towel. They nearly pulled level just before the break as Tengku Mushadad’s freekick whistled just past the post with referee Jansen Foo bringing first-half proceedings to an end soon after.

Three minutes after the restart, DPMM doubled their advantage as Adi got his name on the scoresheet, sweeping home a low cross from Azwan Ali to make it 2-0.

Substitute Firdaus Idros thought he had reduced the deficit on 68 minutes but was denied by the linesman’s flag after Zerka – who supplied him with the pass – was offside in the build-up.

Firdaus’ introduction provided Tanjong Pagar with more attacking impetus as they finished the game strongly and were unlucky not to have scored.

Firdaus got onto the end of a cross from Zahid Ahmad and poked a shot goalward but a flying Wardun tipped it over at full-stretch in the 72nd minute.

Former Home United man Firdaus was then involved again five minutes later as he tore down the right before squaring it back for a waiting Asraf Rashid but the latter contrived to shoot straight at Wardun.

Wardun then produced a double save eight minutes from time, pushing Etiemble’s freekick onto the bar before scrambling to claw away Zerka’s header from the rebound.

Awangku Fakharazzi could have added a third for the designated visitors but his effort was parried by Herisson but the damage had already been done as Tanjong Pagar had to contend with a runner-ups finish.