Written by: Dwayne James

Leaders Albirex Niigata (S) slipped to back-to-back defeats in the Great Eastern-Yeo’s S.League for the first time this season after Brunei DPMM  left it till late for a 2-1 win at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on Friday night.

The result means that the Japanese outfits are stuck on 38 points – a one point lead at the top of the standings from Tampines Rovers with only seven games left in the competition.

Brazilian forward Rafael Ramazotti broke the deadlock from the spot in the first half before Rui Kumada netted the equaliser just seven minutes after the interval.

Yura Indera Putera then secured all three points late on as DPMM their only game in four meetings this season.

 

Albirex came out strongly and were on target in the fifth minute after the ball was given away to Masaya Jitozono and he fired it from 40 yards out but it was dealt with by DPMM goalkeeper Wardun Yussof.

Kumada was on target again two minutes later but his effort was kept out by Wardun.

DPMM first tested Albirex goalkeeper and skipper Yosuke Nozawa in the ninth minute with Ramazotti firing from 20 yards out.

Atsushi Kawata then produced a good turn to get past two defenders in the 14^th minute but only fired straight at the DPMM goalkeeper.

 

But the best chance was for the hosts five minutes later with Ramazotti’s header beating Nozawa only to watch it come back off the crossbar.

DPMM were awarded a penalty in the 28^th minute after Maududi Kasmi chased down a backpass before getting brought down by Nozawa inside the box. Ramazotti stepped up and made no mistake to slot the ball home from 12 yards out.

The Brunei side almost doubled their lead just six minutes after the break with Hendra Azam Md Idris sending a tricky cross from the left which almost ended at the top right corner.

Almost immediately at the other end, the ball was lobbed over the top of the DPMM backline that sent Kumada through on goal and he fired past Wardun to make it 1-1.

 

It turned the tides and the White Swans looked the more likely to add another onto the scoresheet.

They came close in the 61^st minute after substitute Tomoki Menda sent Kumada through on goal. Wardun came off his line and did enough to make Kumada fire his shot at the upright.

The visitors were outpacing DPMM and another opportunity went begging in the 73^rd minute.

Menda delivered a good ball to Kawata down the left and the flag stayed down. However, Wardun was alert and once again came off his line to close down the attempt.

 

The game could have gone either way but it was DPMM who struck again in the 90^th minute.

Hendra Azam’s corner was nodded on to the far post and Yura was at the right place at the right time to poke it home for his first DPMM goal.

Albirex had five minutes of added time in search of an equaliser but it was DPMM who could have put more icing on the cake.

Azwan Ali Rahman with some trickery to split two defenders before pulling back for Ramazotti but last season’s S.League topscorer somehow blasted over. In the end, it didn’t matter as  DPMM saw off the match for the win.

Brunei DPMM coach Steve Kean: “It tightens up the League but we are still miles away with very few games left. That is only one defeat in our last six so all we can do is continue our good form till the very end and try to win another seven games. If we can do that, you never know.”

Albirex Niigata (S) coach Naoki Naruo: “We conceded two goals one from a penalty and another from a corner kick. Our team worked hard and it was very disappointing. We had many chances and if we had taken them then we would have won the game.”

Brunei DPMM: Wardun Yussof (GK), Brian McLean, Azwan Salleh, Hendra Azam, Najib Tarif, Maududi Kasmi (Shahrazen Said 81’), Rosmin Kamis (C), Helmi Zambin, Rafael Ramazotti, Adi Said (Azwan Ali Rahman 74’), Yura Indera Putera

Albirex Niigata (S): Yosuke Nozawa (GK, C), Mikiya Yamada, Kento Fujihara, Atsushi Shirota, Naofumi Tanaka, Shuto Inaba, Masaya Jitozono (Tomoki Menda 56’), Kazuki Mine (Hiroyoshi Kamata 88’), Kento Nagasaki, Atsushi Kawata, Rui Kumada (Tatsuro Inui 76’)