Warriors coach Razif confident win over DPMM will kickstart season
WARRIORS FC | BRUNEI DPMM FC |
1 | 0 |
Ridhuan Muhamad 53 |
Warriors FC bounced back from their disappointing 0-0 draw with the Garena Young Lions last week with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over 2015 champions Brunei DPMM FC at Choa Chu Kang Stadium last night.
Ridhuan Muhamad's 53rd-minute strike was enough to hand the home side their first win in three Great Eastern-Hyundai S.League matches since their 2-0 triumph over Geylang International two weeks ago.
A relieved Warriors coach Razif Onn is confident that the win will kickstart his team's inconsistent season.
He said of his team's last three matches: "We lost one (1-0 to Tampines Rovers), we drew one (0-0 with Young Lions) and, finally, we've won. It was a hard- fought match.
"We're quite inconsistent. We need to work together as a team, beyond finishing and defending.
"When we come back from the League Cup, we'll put on better performances."
The Warriors laid siege on the DPMM goal in the first half, but found goalkeeper Awangku Mu'izzuddin a major stumbling block.
New signing Andrei Ciolacu could have opened his Warriors account in the 28th minute when the referee awarded a penalty for an infringement, but the Romanian striker's spot-kick hit the post.
The Warriors finally broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when Ridhuan slotted the ball past Awangku.
DPMM then had a great chance to equalise when Adi Said was left with acres of space in front of goal, but his header went over the crossbar.
With the win, the Warriors stayed fourth on 24 points while DPMM remained second from bottom in the nine-team league table on four points.
DPMM coach Steven Kean said that his team deserved at least a point for their effort.
"We played very well in both halves. We were outstanding and deserved at least a point," said the former Blackburn Rovers manager.
"Our goalkeeper was excellent, I'm devastated for him and our defence that we weren't able to keep a clean sheet.
"Anyone in the stadium can see we deserved at least a point and maybe even three.
"If we play like that in the League Cup, we have nothing to fear."
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