Official Website of Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council
NEWS & EVENTS
U-23 and U-16 crash out
Saturday, August 31, 2013

HRH Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah,
President of NFABD,
watching the Six Corner
Invitation Football
Championship 2013 match
between Brunei Under-19
and LLRC FT yesterday at
the Berakas Sports Complex.
Picture: BT/Yusri Adanan

It is back to drawing board for the national Under-23 and the Under-19 teams at the Six Corners Football Championship after both failed to progress to the final stage of the tournament.

Nine-men Indera Sports Club (SC) came from two goals behind to beat the Under-23 side 3-2 at the Balapan Track Field at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex, while the Under-19 team fell to a 5-1 defeat to Liang Lumut Recreational Club Football Team (LLRC FT) at the Berakas Sports Complex.

Present at the Berakas Sports Complex to watch the game was His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah the president of the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD).

The Under-23 side are currently preparing for the upcoming 27th edition of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Myanmar in December and were edged 1-0 by the Indonesian national Under-23 team in a friendly at Yogyakarta two weeks ago.

While, the Under-19 team will be competing at the Asean Football Federation Under-19 Youth Championships in Indonesia next month and October's Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-19 tournament in Thailand.

"I am very unhappy with the refereeing tonight. There were so many bad decisions in the game," said care taker coach Zainuddin Hj Kassim in an interview with The Brunei Times after the match last night.

"We took out centre-back Hazwan Hamzah in the second-half and we don't have any defender availanle for substitution. So it was a bit difficult for us," he added.

The Under-23 started off brightly in the first half with striker Mohd Zulkhairy Razali spearing the attack.

The striker had an effort brilliantly saved by Indera's goalkeeper Ak Mohd Ashraf Pg Haledi before Fakhrul Tamimi missed an open header inside the penalty box a minute later.

Indera replied a few minutes later when Mohd Khayrun Salleh sent Ratano Hj Tuah through inside the penalty box, but the striker would fire a weak attempt straight to the goalkeeper.

The Under-23 team broke the deadlock when Mohd Zulkhairy faced one-on-one with the goal-keeper after a swift counter attack in the 17th minute.

Mohd Mazazizi Mazlan made it 2-0 in the 30th minute when he easily tapped in Fakhrul Tamimi Hj Sahari's low cross from the right.

Indera came out a different team in the second-half with their quick passes and counter-attack.

Indera's defender Mohd Azri Zahari was sent off by referee Mohd Hadimin Hj Shahbudin after being booked twice in the 55th minutes, but Indera would score 10 minutes later when Mohd Khayrun fired a shot just inside the penalty box.

Indera continued their rhythm in the game with quick-passes and found another goal in the 79th minute when Hamizan Abdul Aziz Sulaiman tapped home mohd Khayrun's low cross from the right.

Abdul Hafiz Abdul Rahim would rose above everyone inside the penalty box to head home Mohd Mardi Mirza Abdullah's corner from the right two minutes from time.

This tournament is the first of its kind this year and the main purpose of it is to provide the national Under-23 and Under-19 teams match experience ahead of regional meets.

LLRC will battle Indera in the final at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas tomorrow at 8.15pm.

Indera and LLRC topped their respective groups after winning two matches.

Joining Indera in group A are Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB), while Group B consists of the LLRC FT, Royal Brunei Police Forces Sports Council (MS PDB) and Under-19 team.

Courtesy from Brunei Times