| Fadhil Yunus |
DPMM FC Head Coach Rene Weber fixed his sights on finishing the Singapore Premier League in third place after the goalless draw against Balestier Khalsa at the Toa Payoh Stadium in Singapore on Saturday night meant that they moved out of contention for the runners-up spot.
Home United FC were guaranteed second place after a 1-1 draw with Tampines Rovers on the same night which also meant that they are automatically qualified to the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League.
“We are expecting to win the game because we are following the chase for the second position. The other game ended in a draw (Tampines Rovers and Home United),” said Weber in an interview with the Football Association of Singapore website.
“Anyway, we must take the third position. We are looking for that and we must win our last game against the Young Lions in the league. It will be difficult.
“It is tough to play today the same opponent after three days. It is not enough time for recovery and we will also be playing against them again next Wednesday.
“But we have three days to recovery. We have one extra day to recover too,” the former Brazil under-20 manager added.
“We have chances to score which we didn’t take them. But it was hot today and the game was not fast like before.”
The league interest will not only be entrenched in the minds of Weber and his charges as he is also in pole position of guiding the team to a first-ever Singapore Cup final following a 2-0 win against the Tigers in the first leg.
“The RHB Singapore Cup is our task now and after that we have a game at home,”he said.
Meanwhile, Balestier Khalsa Head Coach Marko Kraljevic said, “We are working very hard. There were not many chances in this game.
“I can say that a draw is a fair result. If we win the game, we could have moved into fifth position but it is okay. From now on, we focus on the second leg of the Singapore Cup on Wednesday and everything is focussed on the crucial game for us,” he said.