DPMM FC drop points

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What should have been a fairy tale finish ended in frustration for DPMM FC last night.

Playing their first competitive match since September,2009, DPMM FC let in a aheat-wrenching injury time goal to let S-League title-holders Tampines steal a 2-2 draw.

Midfielder Jamil Ali's lob over Wardun Yussof was a sobering sight for the healthy crowd at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, all eager to watch their team's S-League season opener.

With three corners in their first two minutes,DPMM FC didn't waste any time getting their fans on the edge of their seats and got in front after an Osman Basiru striker in the 38th minute.

Though Fahrudin Mustafic would equalise early in the second half, an error by Tapines shot-stopper Sasa dreven saw Ivan Jerkovic hand the hosts the 2-1 lead in the 69th minute- only for jamil to spoil the party.

Frustrated fans might have complained that Vjeran Simunic's decision to substitute two defenders in the last 10 minutes backfired, but the coach stuck to his guns.

"We changed them (Sairol Sahari and Shahrulrizal Abd Rahman) because they were injured," said the Croatian.

"We could win ... No, we deserved to win.We showed we're a good team and that Singapore must care about us.

We deserved the three points, but becuase of the beep test qualification, we are without key players Yusof Salleh and midfielder Abang Norsuhilmy Taha," he said referring to the mandatory fitness test that several players have been unable to pass.

Osman netted the opener when he pounced on defender Tales Ricarte dos Santos's shot that rebounded off the crossbar after a cornerkick from Azwan Salleh.

Not only was dos Santos a monster in the air, the Brazilian also kept a tight leash on Aleksander Duric, though the veteran striker was able to deliver a header which was easily saved by Wardun in the 44th minute and then saw Davor Piskor's shot sail wide of the left post a minute later.

But there was no denying Tampines in the 48th minute when Mustafic riffled a low freekick poast Wardun's left after Jerkovic had fouled Jamil outside the box.

DPMM FC captain Rosmin Khamis was a beast in the centre of the park with his ball-winning abilities and cool head - working well with his Croatian central midfield partner Jerkovic.

But overall, the team failed to create space and work the ball around a wellorganised Tampines back-line marshalled by mustafic.

Less than six yards out, Rodrigo Gral should have made it 2-1 to DPMM after receiving a Shahrazen Saidpass in the 62nd minute. But Dreven, who had a fine game in between the sticks, came off his line to save from close-range.

Basiru passed the ball to jerkovic, and with space and time, fired a 25-yard cannonball which his compatriot had a hand on but could not hold on to.

As opposed to Gral, Basiru was a menace throughout the game with his willingness to run at defenders and had a penalty claim dismissed in the 2nd minute.

Dos Santos proved his worth once again in the 77th minute with a goal-line clearance, but failing to keep the ball, the three points was always in threat.

When jamil took advantage of some confusion in the box - after Sairol and Shahrulrizal's substitutes, Suhaime Yusof might not have known who to mark- there was nothing Simunic could do but just cover his face and turn away.