Warriors FC vs Brunei DPMM

(2 July, Sunday, 7.30pm, Choa Chu Kang Stadium)

Written by: Phoon Jia Hui

2015 Great Eastern-Hyundai S.League champions Brunei DPMM will take on Warriors FC at Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Sunday night with head coach Steve Kean challenging his side to take their chances when they come.

 The Wasps last saw action in the S.League in mid-June as they fell to a heavy 4-0 defeat at the hands of defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) at Jurong East, their seventh consecutive match without victory.

 And the former Blackburn Rovers manager wants his side to be both clinical in front of goal as well as keep things tight at the back.

 “Against Albirex, they had four chances and scored four goals,” Kean told BruSports News.

 “We actually had more chances and didn’t score. Football is all about how you play in both boxes. We need to be ruthless in the attacking box and be really resolute and strong defensively in the defending box.”

 PMM and Warriors last met in April and Kean is well-aware of how the 2014 S.League winners will set out to play but is confident of nullifying them.

“We know Warriors like to attack and sometimes leave a bit of space at the back and that’s when we like to attack,” he said. “That is what we have been working on the last 16 days and we need to make sure when we lose possession, it will be difficult to play through us.”

“We have done lots of work on that and if we can replicate what we have done in training, get the ball in box and be ruthless and get our blocks in with great determination and not even to let our goalkeeper to make a save, then I think we stand a good chance.”

According to Kean, preparations have meanwhile been going well as the Scot looks to guide the Sultanate’s only professional club back to winning ways.

“Training has been excellent and there is a good and positive atmosphere with a good intensity,” said the Scot.

“That is what we want to do. Each game we play, continue to improve performance and results will come. It is impossible to be so good in training but not get results”.

Forward Rafael Ramazotti will however miss out due to injury but Kean insists this is a good chance for the others to step up in his absence.

“He will be out for a few more weeks and that is enough time for the other strikers to make their mark,” he said.

 “It is going to difficult because you never like to lose main strikers. Before he got injured, he played every game and he had done remarkably well up till now.

 “But it gives Adi (Said) and Shahrazen (Said) as well as other strikers who are selected an opportunity to play and grab their chance.”

Warriors on the other hand, were held to a goalless draw by Garena Young Lions the last time out as they saw their slim title hopes fade.

In that game, Razif Onn’s side came close to scoring on occasions but were let down by their profligacy in front of goal.

However, all this could come change with new signing and forward Andrei Ciolacu set to make his Warriors debut after the Romanian got the necessary clearance to take to the field.

Syaqir Sulaiman unfortunately misses out as he is suspended after picking up his fourth yellow card against the Young Lions.

Suspension: Syaqir Sulaiman (Warriors FC)

Warriors FC – WLWLD

28/06/17 Garena Young Lions 0-0 Warriors FC

22/06/17 Warriors FC 0-1 Tampines Rovers

16/06/17 Geylang International 0-2 Warriors FC

29/05/17 Warriors FC 1-4 Boeung Ket FC (CAM) (RHB Singapore Cup)

19/05/17 Warriors FC 1-0 Balestier Khalsa

Brunei DPMM – LLDLL

16/06/17 Albirex Niigata (S) 4-0 Brunei DPMM

25/05/17 Home United 9-3 Brunei DPMM

13/05/17 Garena Young Lions 0-0 Brunei DPMM

28/04/17 Brunei DPMM 0-1 Tampines Rovers

20/04/17 Geylang International 2-0 Brunei DPMM

Head to Head (S.League)

 15/04/17 Brunei DPMM 3-5 Warriors FC

19/08/16 Brunei DPMM 3-0 Warriors FC

05/05/16 Warriors FC 1-1 Brunei DPMM

27/02/16 Brunei DPMM 3-1 Warriors FC

06/11/15 Warriors FC 1-3 Brunei DPMM