SAFF into next stage at LG Cup

SAFF into next stage at LG Cup

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An injury time goal by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAFF) FC
skipper Nenad Bacina shattered DPMM of Brunei Darussalam's dream
of qualifying for the next round of the LG Cup ASEAN Club
Championship.

In the last Group B game, played in Gresik, East Java, on
Thursday, DPMM, which needed a win to secure the runner-up spot
in the group, was leading 2-1 when Bacina came forward late in
the game to dash its hopes with the game ending in a 2-2 draw.

Both teams suffered defeats in their opening matches against
eventual group leader Perak FC of Malaysia, SAFF losing 0-2 and
DPMM 0-3.

The little-known DPMM surprised many by its challenging play
against SAFF throughout the game. The tiny players took the lead
through its Nigerian skipper Oleseye Ajayi in the 47th minute.

Ajayi's hand injury following his collision a couple of
minutes after the first goal reduced DPMM's intensity in attack.

However, DPMM still managed to exploit the SAFF's porous
defense as a result of the latter's all-out attacking options and
doubled the lead to 2-0 after Hairoddin found the net in the 74th
minute.

A palpable win for DPMM turned to disaster when its defender
Amiryadi Hj Tahir was awarded a second yellow card in the 80th
minute by Indonesian referee Setiyono.

A few minutes later, Mohammad Noor Tanjong scored a goal for
DPMM after miscuing a kick from SAFF's Jeyakanth Jeyapal.

DPMM's nightmare finally came in the injury time, with Bacina
being the punisher.

As runner-up of the group, SAFF will face Petrokimia Putra in
the quarterfinals, while Perak FC will take on Samart United of
Cambodia.