(The national Under-23 team's
Azwan Ali Rahman (foreground)
dribbles the ball during
yesterday's friendly match
against DPMM FC yesterday.
DPMM FC won 2-1. Picture:
BT/Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
DPMM FC defeated the national Under-23 team 2-1 in a friendly match yesterday in the latter's final warm-up match ahead of Thursday's game against Indonesia.
DPMM FC's Brazilian defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos and Lithuanian striker Arturas Rimkevicius scored one goal each while striker Adi Said who laced up for the national side scored their only goal at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.
The national team are currently preparing for December's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar and will face Indonesia in a friendly in Yogyakarta on Thursday.
DPMM FC, meanwhile, will be looking to regain match fitness ahead of next Wednesday's Singapore League match against Balestier Khalsa FC - the game their first since July 27 when they lost out on a place in the Singapore Cup semi-finals after falling 5-4 on aggregate to Filipino side Global FC.
DPMM FC enjoyed more ball possession earlier in the first half and created a lot of chances but couldn't find a way to break down the national side's defence.
It was in the 35th minute when they finally broke the deadlock.
Rodrigo Tosi flicked Azwan Salleh's cross to dos Santos just inside the penalty box, with the latter easily tapping the ball home past Muhd Fakhrul Zulhazmi in goal.
The national side came out more aggressive after the restart and created the first chance when Adi headed Mohd Asri Hj Aspar's cross just wide a minute into the second-half.
Adi got involved again two minutes later when he set midfielder Mohd Mazazizi Mazlan through, but the latter would squander the opportunity horribly.
Left free when Adi flicked on Azwan Ali Rahman's long ball from the right, the midfielder lifted his shot over the crossbar.
DPMM FC shocked the national team a minute later with their second goal.
Rimkevicius perfectly latched onto a defence-splitting pass from Portuguse striker Joao Moreira before blasting the ball into the back of the net.
The national side would respond almost immediately when Adi pulled one goal back five minutes later.
The striker connected to Azwan Ali Rahman's cross from the right with a perfect glancing header.
Azwan Ali Rahman should have equalised when he was set one-on-one with the goalkeeper by Adi, but the midfielder would blast the ball straight onto the goalkeeper.
Arturas almost made it 3-1 in the final few minutes of the game when he was picked out at the far corner by Moreira, but the former would send his shot wide.
"I am very happy with the team's performance, especially in the second-half," said national team manager Hj Feisal Hj Eusoff.
"It was a very good fight, but we must continue to work harder.
"We must work as a team. One player's mistake can cost the whole team so I need all players to work and focus throughout the match.
"There were a lot of chances in the game, especially in the second half (but) we failed to convert it and we must work hard on that," he added.
DPMM FC who are currently eighth in the S-League with 23 points from 18 games, will be busy with three matches this month.
After meeting Balestier, they will then host Tampines Rovers at the same venue four days later.
They will then close out the month with a meeting against Warriors FC at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium in Singapore on August 29.
