| Fadhil Yunus |
DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean was in harmony with the referee’s decision to award two penalties in favour of Hougang United FC during his side’s 4-1 loss in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S League at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on Tuesday.
The head coach has not been getting decisions in his favour in recent matches most recently a penalty appeal turned down despite a deliberate handball and a goal off Rafael Ramazotti’s header not given both of which ultimately led to goals from a breakaway by the opposition.
However, the head coach agreed the referee’s calls to give the penalties in the 8th and 27th minute were equally justifiable following incidents involving defenders Abdul Mu’iz Sisa and Yura Indera Putera.
“I thought first of all they were definite penalties. There’s been times this season where there’s been decisions that went against us that I felt was tough,” said Kean in a post-match interview.
“For me they were two penalties. I don’t know why Abdul Mu’iz has put his hand up. If he moves his feet, he maybe takes it on his chest and then Yura certainly got hold of the attacker’s shirt in the box which you just can’t do especially right under the nose of the referee,” he continued.
The head coach also would not have any arguments if the referee had awarded a penalty in the second half.
“In all honesty, they could have had a third one. There was another one that I think the referee sometimes you see them given and sometimes not and we managed to get that decision. We could have ended up given away three penalties.”
He added that Hougang’s third goal helped lift confidence of the Cheetahs merely moments after being handed a lifeline through Rafael Ramazotti.
“In the second half when we changed the system and brought on the substitutes I thought we got a grip of the game.
“And then when it gets to 2-1 we were on the ascendancy and we gave the third goal away which was basically their first cross and we don’t deal with it.
“We have to be dealing with crosses better because that goal then takes the wind out of our sails. And then it gives them a massive lift because it was only a few minutes after we scored,” he said.
“So that was a real disappointment because that one I think changed the momentum. You can see that they were dropping back with basically four up top with two wide players and two strikers.”
Kean indicated that the third goal killed their chances of getting back into the game.
“We just kept getting the ball wide and it looked like we’re going to see them crack but the third goal as I’ve said killed us.”
The Scotsman recalled DPMM FC custodian Wardun Yussof to first team action and has refused to pin the blame on his goalkeeper with all four goals in his return between the sticks.
“Wardun wasn’t at fault with any of the goals. He’s just come back to the side after a real nasty injury. That wasn’t the problem.”
Hougang’s forward Fumiya Kogure sealed the tie with his hat-trick six minutes from time but the head coach indicated that usually there would be an extra man guarding the Japanese.
“The disappointing goal for me is the last goal because they had a man sent off and yet when the ball comes forward we have a one versus one situation which I couldn’t believe it.
“Because we always have a two versus one with the last striker closest to our goal so that one can challenge and one can cover.
“But we were pushing so many bodies forward that we’ve ended up getting too attracted with the ball instead of picking up the last striker,” the former Blackburn Rovers manager said.
The post Kean agrees with pair of penalties in Hougang’s loss appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.