National Football Association of
Brunei Darussalam (NFABD)
honorary president His Royal
Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah
presents the Red Bull Tri-Nations
Cup flag to Football Association of
Malaysia's (FAM) vice-chairman of
the futsal and beach soccer
committee Datuk Dr Hj Hamdan
Mohd Khalib (L). Malaysia will host
next year's event. Picture: Infofoto

Rahim Hj Daud is already eyeing next year's Red Bull Tri-Nations Cup, to be hosted by Malaysia.

QAF FC 'B' won the inaugural event on Sunday after literally fighting back to force a 3-3 draw against Malaysian side LTS FC, a result which was enough for them to lift the trophy on goal difference.

The hosts had earlier beat Singapore's Team B.A 14-1 while Penang's LTS FC had defeated the players from the city-state 11-2.

With Malaysia hosting the event next year, QAF FC 'B's manager wants the team to make it two in a row.

"Hopefully if we can we want to defend our title next year," said Rahim after the match at the Indoor Stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas on Sunday night.

"We will be prepared for next year in Malaysia," he promised.

The team won $4,500 for finishing as champions on Sunday, with LTS FC returning with $2,500 and Team B.A receiving $1,250.

Red Bull said yesterday the hosting of the annual tournament would be conducted on a rotation basis among the three participating countries Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.

The company's regional marketing director Jyn Wee said the date and venue for the tournament in Malaysia had yet to be decided.

"It's confirmed that Malaysia will be hosting the next annual Tri-Nations Cup next year. The date and place are still being discussed," he told Bernama here.

The first international competition organised by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam's (NFABD), Sunday's event was sanctioned by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and was approved by both Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and Football Association of Singapore.

In a strong show of support for the newly formed NFABD, FAM's vice-chairman of the futsal and beach soccer committee Datuk Dr Hj Hamdan Mohd Khalib attended the event.

A member of FAM's executive committee, Hamdan also received the Red Bull Tri-Nations Cup flag from NFABD honorary president His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah during the prize-giving ceremony as the next hosts.

It's not certain that any of the three teams will be making a return in next year's event though, since they will all have to progress from the national qualifiers in their respective countries.

Though print and online media from both Malaysia and Singapore covered Sunday's tournament, the crowd at the Indoor Stadium was disappointing and that is something organisers will no doubt be looking to turn around next year.

Courtesy from Brunei Times