Saturday 20 March 2010

Brunei Darussalam face expulsion

Saturday, 20 March 2010 10:29
Zurich: Brunei Darussalam are in danger of being expelled from world football due to government interference in the sport.

The FIFA Executive Committee on Friday agreed to submit to the next FIFA Congress the expulsion of The Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (BAFA) if the BAFA has not been reinstated by then, after noting that no major progress had been made since the BAFA was suspended in September 2009.

FIFA warned that unless BAFA came to FIFA's Congress on June 9 and 10 in South Africa having met the conditions for reinstatement it would be expelled.

The Football Association of Brunei (BAFA) was suspended from international football in September 2009.

The other expulsion in recent history was South Africa, which was thrown out in 1976 under the former apartheid regime.

However, on a brighter note Kroniz Fc lives on....

Kroniz break down in the heat

After losing 2-4 to Pondok 12 last week and roniz succumbed to another defeat by Jabatan Laut Team (JLT) 0-3 today at Maktab Duli Field in the hot friday afternoon.

JLT took 19 minutes to open accounts, by rare mistake by Kroniz last man JLT striker pringing the offside trap to latch onto a through ball, getting to the ball just ahead of Kroniz keeper to prod into the empty net.

Kroniz were content with playing at half their usual pace; and with a lots of issues on their minds especially LegCo discussion before the game, the potential backlash of over-exertion in this game weighed heavy among their considerations.

As if still reeling from the shock of being behind, the static kroniz backline again allowed JLT to rush past them. Jul kroniz keeper, however, did better this time, getting down quickly to deny JLT.

The only real chance that kroniz crafted in the first half – and indeed the whole game – came on 31 minutes, with its architect coming in the unlikely form of centre-back Sulaiman.

Cutting out a pass, the lanky defender strode upfield unchecked, making it all the way to penalty box before playing a through ball to Azrin and laid it to the unmarked Gnal on the right.

With the bamboozled JLT defence guilty of ball-watching, Gnal hit it first time and watched as his shot went well wide.

Minutes later, the match ceased to exist as a competition of any sort until the end of the first half.

The far more experienced JLT side began the second half with the exuberance and urgency characteristic of their youth, their eagerness for this to become a more physical affair looking evident at times.

In the 70th minute a raking ball forward was controlled with an excellent first-touch by JLT striker, who took it past the stranded Jul with consummate ease and slotted the ball into the corner of the net.

2-0, yet there was no sign of jubilation, no indication that they were savouring a lead they had fought hard to build.

Rather than a statement of their arrogance, it was testament to their confidence and clinical efficiency that there was hardly any semblance of celebration – their plan was working, the result of the match all but a foregone conclusion by this time.

Even on the rare occasions that the JLT displayed signs of vulnerability, few among the Kroniz players had any faith that anything would come of it.

JLT should have expected the Kroniz to respond in kind, yet still conspired to present JLT their third goal of the night on a platter.

Miscommunication between Shafie and his goalkeeper that bordered on comical saw the defender past to the onrushing JLT striker, and there was little anyone could do to prevent JLT from practically strolling into the box to roll the ball into goal.

“It was not just that it was an easy game. We did what we planned to do, and things didn't worked out according to plan".

“We wanted to try things out against JLT, and tried to make our formation more perfect in the second half. “We have many games in a short period of time, and so a lot of kroniz players rested for the holidays" Pg Sufian added.

“There is a big difference in quality between the two sides, and in terms of age, experience, and many other aspects, but I am satisfied with the way we played.

“We kept playing despite going behind, so I can accept this result; it’s very normal' commented Jamri.

Sunday 14 March 2010

Birthday party turns sour.

Kroniz FC a were stunned after losing 4-2 at Padang kebajikan against Pondok 12 FC today.

Pondok 12 with their experienced players produced arguably their best performance as they scored four breakaway goals in an outstanding display of attacking football.

The game was every bit as feisty as it was competitive, with both sides having a real go at each other.

Remarked a beaming head coach of Pondok 12 after the game: “We went out to play our attacking game as we usually do.”

“I saw great spirit amongst the players as they penetrated kroniz defence and made many good runs.

“Even if we faced some difficulties during the game, the belief, faith and trust in which I have in my players prevailed in the end.”

Pondok 12 made all the early running. It was perhaps no surprise that they took the lead in the fifth minute.

Pondok 12 ensured kronizs did not have it all their way as they subsequently launched a series of assaults Kroniz goalmouth.

Not to be undone in the fifteen minute, kroniz's striker Fendi began his run from deep inside his own half, when a burst of pace found him at the end of Aming’s delivery from the left and zipped his shot which rooted the keeper on the spot which made it 1-1.

Unfortunately, Kronizs faithful were to be stunned into silence after Pondok 12 striker squeezed in an effort from inside the box to give Pondok 12 the lead again.

Kroniz made it hard for themselves once more after being caught out on the counter attack following a corner to score another goal. Confidence was at its soaring best for Pondok 12 after they capped their amazing three-goal burst with aplomb 3-1 to Pondok 12 before half time.

In the second half with the injection of three youth players Kronizs were much more organized. Unfortunately, the chronic inability to shut up shop in defence all but resulted in the fourth goal for pondok 12 to lead 4-1.

Both teams had a real go at each other, Kronizs were rocked and even if they managed to keep Pondok 12 busy with corner after corner, most of the players could not manage to capitalize on the loose ball.

However, Bab Kroniz defender turns midfielder took no notice of that fact and after giving his marker the slip on 61 minutes, the ship captain reduced arrears with a customary goal, a precise left footed effort from inside the box.

He received the ball in midfield and strode forward unchallenged, as a defenders began to close in he struck left footed from the edge of the box, a rocket that left Pondok 12 keeper with no chance to close the gap 2 -4.

Post match, Kroniz manager Bab took stock, pondered deeply and commended his players, as he shared his thoughts on the match.

“It was a very good attacking game of football by both teams, with end-to-end action.

“It had been a good game with pace: some good goals, and poor ones as well. We had plenty to learn from and having kept going for 90 minutes, we should have scored more.

“Overall, I’m satisfied with the effort from the boys.

“Even when we were down, I told them to go all out in the second half and we managed to find our way back with my goal. However, I suppose the sucker punch came from Pondok 12’s fourth goal and perhaps better on the day.”

Happy birthday to me.........

Monday 8 March 2010

Kroniz salvage draw with spirited 2nd half performance

5hb: Shafie scored home right at the death to cap a remarkable afternoon for Kroniz FC in which they staged a rousing comeback from two goals down to force a draw against Star Family FC at MD Field.

The tutong-born centre-back’s scored in the 59th minute sent Kroniz faithful into raptures and salvaged a point for his team in a match that looked beyond their reach early in the first half.

Star Family Fc looked to have wrapped up the points in the first half with two goals, but a half-time rollicking by Kroniz players did the trick for Kroniz.

“I told them, look at the first half,” said Gnal in the absent of both Bab and Aripin. “Look at the kind of goals conceded. Is that the way you play football? If we don’t win, we will have a mountain to climb.”

Kroniz left it late to respond, but managed to leave MD Field with a point when all had seemed lost.

The hot sunny day that preceded the match had cast an ominous shadow over the afternoon’s proceedings, but the players were not to be disappointed by a cracker of an encounter that was end-to-end stuff from start to finish. However Kroniz were punished for a string of missed chances.

It took kroniz just five minutes to come undone, even as Star family FC looked the more likely to concede in the early exchanges.

Barely two minutes into the game, awful defending in their penalty area allowed SFFC dispossess Kroniz and advance on goal.
SRRC forward made the most of some inattentive defending by the Kroniz backline, taking the ball past them and slotting home from an angle, with Rosli looking conspicuously out of position.

The Kroniz defence had gone to sleep, and were duly punished.

When Kronizs created chances at the other end, however, they found SFFC keeper in particularly inspired form.

SFFC however, had no such problem moments later. Possession was given away in sloppy fashion by Kroniz in their half, and the ball was delivered into the box. SFFC striker rose high to nod the ball back across the goal, and Rosli spilled it under the challenge of a pink shirt. The ball fell kindly to SEEC striker, who slotted home for the second.

Kroniz continued to have the lion’s share of the chance in the second half but just couldn't convert the chances into goals until a completely unmarked Asri collected the ball and darted down with a sudden change of pace on the left side of the penalty area, and the seasoned forward slide his shot into the post.

Then came Shafie’s half-volley tongue-lashing shot, Aliuddin cornered did well to get past SFFC players and, having advanced into the box, Shafie did just enough at the right moment to volley his shot at the goal to set up an edgy finish, but the scoreline would stand at 2-2 when the final whistle was blowed. .

Gnal paid tribute to his side for the determination they displayed in coming back from two goals down. “We showed a lot of character to come back, but I thought we gave away two soft goals early on, and then it was an uphill task from there.

“But the players showed character, they were attacking all the way. “On the whole, it was very good to have come back. This is something good.”

“I thought we were much more there,” he said, gesturing with his hands, “but they didn’t have to work for their goals. We’ve got to work on that.”

“SFFC are young and fast, they penetrated our midfield, we were unable to cushion their attack, and we allowed them to come. Our midfield didn’t fall back enough, and we let them come at us again and again.

“But it was a very good performance to have come back. We need the points, we need to push ourselves up".