Brunei DPMM vs Warriors FC

(October 7, Tuesday, 8.15pm, Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium)

Written by: Kenneth Ho

With only four games to go, the winner of Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League title race still remains uncertain, as Brunei DPMM only sit three points clear of Tampines Rovers on 46 points.

Things can change once again, should fellow-title contenders Warriors FC travel to the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium and beat the Wasps on their homeground as they now are five points adrift of DPMM.

A win for the Warriors  would give them a chance to catch up to the league leaders, while giving hope to the other challengers in the league.

However, a defeat to DPMM would push the Warriors back further by eight points, and with nine points left on the plate thereafter, it would become highly unlikely that Weaver’s charges can land the coveted league title.

Coming into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Balestier Khalsa, Warriors coach Alex Weaver knows his side can ill afford to drop points here.

“We go to Brunei now and really having to win that game,” Weaver told the press after the loss.

“We are capable of doing that. The players are even more hungry now, this shows the characters we have in the dressing room. We will bounce back for sure,” he added.

There will be no better time for the Warriors to face DPMM though.

DPMM similarly are not enjoying the best run of games, as they suffered a league to Home United in the league last time round, while also exiting the RHB Singapore Cup to the same opponents.

DPMM’s frontman Rodrigo Tosi will also be unavailable, after he picked up his fourth yellow card of the season. The DPMM top-scorer’s (22 goals) absence should boost Warriors’ chances immensely, as the firepower of DPMM’s is somewhat diminished.

However, Warriors too will be without Thomas Beatie and Zulfadli Zainal, as those two similarly are sitting out the match due to suspension.

Suspensions: Rodrigo Tosi (Brunei DPMM), Thomas Beatie (Warriors), Zulfadli Zainal (Warriors)

Key Men To Watch

Brunei DPMM: Roy O’Donovan

It will be goals that win games, and without Rodrigo Tosi, the other man DPMM usually look to for the goods will be O’Donovan. The burly striker can be a pain to manage, and his shots pack a punch. Back him to score the goals, should Azwan Ali and company provides him with the necessary services.

Warriors FC: Hassan Sunny

Singapore goalkeeper coach John Burridge once tweeted that Hassan should be playing elsewhere, in a top league, and that is the truth; the goalkeeper’s is just so good.

Against DPMM at home, where they have recorded some thumping scorelines (7-1 Woodlands most recently), if Warriors were to secure a result, you can be sure Hassan will have a huge part to play in this encounter against the league leaders.

Brunei DPMM – LDLWW

26/9/14    Brunei DPMM 2-3 Home United (RHB Singapore Cup 2nd Leg)

23/9/14    Home United 1-1 Brunei DPMM (RHB Singapore Cup SF 1st Leg)

17/9/14    Brunei DPMM 1-2 Home United

30/8/14    Tanjong Pagar United 1-2 Brunei DPMM

26/8/14    Brunei DPMM 8-1 Woodlands Wellington

Warriors FC – LWDWL

1/10/14    Warriors FC 0-1 Balestier Khalsa

29/8/14    Warriors FC 2-0 Tampines Rovers

24/8/14    Home United 2-2 Warriors FC

20/8/14    Warriors FC 4-1 Courts Young Lions

1/8/14      Warriors FC 1-3 Albirex Niigata (S)

Head to Head (S.League)

22/5/14    Warriors FC 1-0 Brunei DPMM

28/2/14    Brunei DPMM 2-0 Warriors FC

23/10/13  Warriors FC 3-2 Brunei DPMM

29/8/13    Warriors FC 3-1 Brunei DPMM

5/5/13      Brunei DPMM 0-2 Warriors FC

23/6/12    Brunei DPMM 1-2 Warriors FC

19/2/12    Warriors FC 1-2 Brunei DPMM