Written by: Koh Yizhe

Geylang International vs Brunei DPMM

(Thursday, 11 Aug, 7.30pm, Bedok Stadium)

On the back of The New Paper League Cup final appearance coupled with a last-grasp win over leaders Albirex Niigata (S) in the Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League, Brunei DPMM will be looking to use this morale-boosting run of form to end their season on high when they take on Geylang International at the Bedok Stadium on Thursday evening.

With seven games to go in the league, DPMM, who are sitting in fourth, have a very outside chance of challenging for the title after just dropping one game in the last six matches in all matches. They are tied with Home United on points, behind only on goal difference, and are 12 points away from second-placed Tampines Rovers and one more away from league leaders Albirex who they just defeated in dramatic fashion.

The match looked like it was heading for a stalemate after Albirex’s Rui Kumada had cancelled out Rafael Ramazotti’s first-half penalty. However, Yura Indera Putera popped up with the winner with time winding down to ensure that the home side would secure all three points.

Up next for the rampaging Wasp – Geylang International, somewhat of a bogey team for them this season. The Bedok-based side is only team that the Bruneians are yet to scalp this season.

They have been unable to beat the Eagles in their two previous meetings with a 1-1 draw in their first match up of the season in February before the Bruneians were defeated 2-1 thanks to a late goal by Faritz Hameed in April.

For Geylang International, they found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-2 scoreline against Tampines Rovers in their last S.League match with all goals coming in the first half. However, they did not make it easy for the title chasers and were unlucky not to have equalized in the second half an onslaught of chances peppering Tampines’ goal.

Sitting in sixth with 21 points, three points will allow the Eagles to leapfrog Hougang United and move to within one point of their opponents on Thursday night. They will, however, be without the services of Shariff Samat and Al-Qaasimy Rahman who are suspended for the match, after picking up their fourth and seventh yellow cards of the season respectively, leading to an automatic one-match ban.

For DPMM, they will be without their key man Paulo Sergio as he serves the second of a two-match ban.

Geylang International will certainly be keen maintain their “bogey team” status against the defending champions while the Wasp are looking to keep their string of good results going in this clash at the Bedok Stadium.

Suspensions: Shariff Samat, Al-Qaasimy (both Geylang International), Paulo Sergio (Brunei DPMM)

Geylang International – LWWWL

04/08/16 Tampines Rovers 2-1 Geylang International (S.League)

30/07/16   Hougang United 1-2 Geylang International (League Cup)

25/07/16   Geylang International 1-0 Warriors FC (League Cup)

22/07/16  Geylang International 1-0 Albirex Niigata (S) (League Cup)

18/07/16  Geylang International 0-5 Home United (League Cup)

Brunei DPMM – WWWLW

05/08/16 Brunei DPMM 2-1 Albirex Niigata (S) (S.League)

30/07/16  Brunei DPMM 0-2 Albirex Niigata (S) (League Cup)

26/07/16  Brunei DPMM 1-0 Home United (League Cup)

21/07/16  Brunei DPMM 2-1 Tampines Rovers (League Cup)

17/07/16  Hougang United 0-2 Brunei DPMM (League Cup)