BRUNEI: (ePRESS) – Sri Lanka lost their second consecutive international friendly football game against Brunei, with the match ending 0-1 on Tuesday night. Brunei, despite playing with ten men, inspired their nation with a 2-0 series win at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.
In the first half, Brunei took an early lead when their captain, Muhd Azwan, scored in the 38th minute. Sri Lanka struggled to find an equalizer, and the half ended with Brunei ahead 1-0.
The game took a dramatic turn in the 62nd minute when Brunei was reduced to ten men after jersey number 22 received a yellow card. Sri Lanka’s Dillon de Silva had an opportunity to score from a penalty kick, but he missed, keeping Brunei in the lead.
In the 74th minute, Sri Lankan coach Andy Morrison made an attacking substitution, bringing on Aman Faizer to replace Harsha Fernando in an effort to score. Despite these changes, Sri Lanka couldn’t break through Brunei’s defense. Rajmohan’s corner kick was deflected, and Dillon de Silva’s shot was saved by the Brunei goalkeeper.
Brunei capitalized on Sri Lanka’s defensive lapses. Mohammad Hakeme Yazid bin Said’s corner was met by Azwan Ali Rahman, who directed the loose ball into the net, doubling Brunei’s lead.
Sri Lanka’s midfielder, Dillon Senan de Silva, created several chances, including a low cross to Wade Darren Dekker, but Brunei’s goalkeeper, Muhammad Haimie bin Abdullah Nyaring, calmly saved the shot.
In the 84th minute, Waseem Rasheed’s corner provided Aman Faizer with a golden opportunity to score, but Faizer missed. Two minutes later, Dillon de Silva’s brilliant shot was again saved by Brunei’s keeper. Sri Lanka made three substitutions in the second half, but none could change the outcome.
The match ended with five minutes of added time and a heated exchange between both teams, which the referees had to calm down. Despite their efforts, Sri Lanka was unable to score, and Brunei celebrated a well-deserved 1-0 victory, securing the series win.
Sri Lanka’s coach Andy Morrison and his team will need to regroup and focus on their next challenge, learning from the missed opportunities and defensive mistakes in these games against Brunei.
