DPMM boss Kean in ugly spat with Tampines striker Alam Shah
DPMM coach accuses Tampines veteran of spitting at him, striker insists he did nothing wrong
QUARTER-FINAL, 1ST LEG
BRUNEI DPMM 3
(Brian Mclean 5, Azwan Ali 12, Rafael Ramazotti 48)
TAMPINES ROVERS 1
(Pedrag Pocuca 16)
Striker Noh Alam Shah has been a hero for Singapore, but he's also been involved in controversy over the years, seeing red on several occasions after ugly attacks of temper.
Last night, the Tampines Rovers forward was the centre of attention, again.
After Tampines' 3-1 defeat by Brunei DPMM in a heated first leg of their RHB Singapore Cup quarter-final clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium, DPMM coach Steve Kean accused Alam Shah of spitting at him during a shoving match between both sets of players and officials.
"I thought some of the behaviour at the end of the game was disgraceful," said the Scot, who previously managed Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League.
"In all my years in football, I've never been spat on, but the No. 18 (Alam Shah) spat in my face. It was witnessed.
"It marred a good game where both teams tried to score goals.
"I'm not done with this. You just don't want to see that and I hope action is taken," he added, saying he would lodge an official complaint with the S.League.
Alam Shah, 34, rejected Kean's account.
"Nonsense... B******* lah," said the striker. "He's the one that had a lot to say. I was pushing my players away... I didn't want any trouble.
"We have a second leg on Thursday. What's the point of possibly losing more players (through suspension)? We already have one guy out.
"I'm old enough to know this kind of thing (getting into controversies) is nonsense... I can't be bothered."
The Tampines player who won't be able to play on Thursday because of suspension is Roberto Alviz.
The Croatian playmaker was sent off in the 82nd minute after he angrily tried to carry DPMM player Azwan Ali off the pitch, after the latter hit the deck apparently suffering from cramps.
As the Bruneian side confronted Alviz, he appeared to shove DPMM defender Brian McLean, and referee Jansen Foo duly reached into his pocket and flashed the red card.
A few Tampines players exchanged strong words with former Rangers, Motherwell and Preston North End defender McLean after the game, which led to the shoving match between both sides at the tunnel area.
When asked about the fracas, Tampines coach V Sundramoorthy said: "I've got nothing to say about that. Let's talk football."
DISAPPOINTMENT
Sundram was disappointed with his side's defensive display, after they went two down after just 12 minutes.
McLean headed in a free-kick after just five minutes and Azwan Ali made it 2-0 for DPMM seven minutes later after pouncing on a mix-up between Jufri Taha and Ridhuan Muhammad.
Pedrag Pocuca pulled a goal back for the Stags from a corner on 16 minutes but, just three minutes into the second half, they conceded again.
Brazilian Rafael Ramazotti, the leading scorer in the S.League with 13 goals, headed home DPMM's third goal to seal the match, and possibly the tie.
There is no away goals' rule in the Singapore Cup. The previous two Tampines-DPMM matches in the S.League have ended in a 1-1 draw and a 2-0 win for the Bruneian side.
Looking ahead to Thursday's second leg, Sundram said: "It's difficult when it's 3-1. But we're playing at Jurong West and we are still in the Cup until the last kick of the game."
In all my years in football, I've never been spat on, but the No. 18 (Alam Shah) spat in my face. It was witnessed.
— Brunei DPMM coach Steve Kean
Nonsense... Bullshit lah. He's the one that had a lot to say. I was pushing my players away... I didn't want any trouble.
— Tampines Rovers striker Noh Alam Shah
- DPMM: Wardun Yusoff, Aminuddin Tahir, Boris Raspudic, Brian McLean, Sairol Sahari (Adi Said 72), Hendra Azam (Azwan Saleh 63), Rosmin Kamis, Joe Gamble, Shahrazen Said, Rafael Ramazotti, Azwan Ali (Najib Tarif 92)
- TAMPINES: Rodrigo Pacheco, Jufri Taha, Mustafic Fahrudin, Pedrag Pocuca, Shaiful Esah, Ridhuan Muhammad (Aqhari Abdullah 86), Roberto Alviz, Isa Halim, Firdaus Idros (Jamil Ali 70), Rodrigo Tosi, Mateo Roskam (Noh Alam Shah 58)
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