Brunei stun MPPJ as Johor go top with big win

PETALING JAYA: Brunei upset table-toppers Selangor MPPJ 3-2 in a Premier II football match at the MPPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya last night. 

The oil rich Sultanate, who had edged Negri Sembilan 2-1 at home last week, picked up their first away win in style when they upstaged the home side, who were boosted by the presence of former Argentine Under-21 player Juan Manuel Arostegui and Bruno Martelotto, a former junior player with Boca Juniors. 

The Wasps, after a dismal opening to the season with two straight defeats to Selangor Public Bank (0-2) and Kuala Lumpur (2-3), turned on the heat in the second-half with goals from Fadlin Gelawat (46th and 67th minutes) and Affandi Tuah (69th) to earn their second straight victory. 

MPPJ scored through Yuzaiman Zahari (25th) and Arostegui (88th) but it was not enough to prevent them from dopping to third in table standings behind new leaders Johor and KL, who both scored convincing wins.  

Johor leapfrogged to the top, two points clear, after thrashing 10-man Police 4-0 at the Larkin Stadium.  

Farid Ideris celebrated a call-up to the national Under-22 squad by scoring twice in the 30th and 90th minutes. Imports Gabriel Mendez and Daniel Watkins netted in the 77th and 83rd minutes respectively to give Johor the 13 points. 

KL stayed two points behind Johor by shocking the star-studded Negri Sembilan 3-1 at the KL Football Stadium in Cheras. It was Negri's second consecutive loss.  

The City boys raced to a surprise 3-0 lead by half time with Shariful Hisham Ibrahim scoring a brace (21st and 43rd minutes) and Azralan Azmi netting the other (35th). Negri fielded an array of national and ex-internationals only managed to reduce the deficit through Lim Chan Yew in the 50th minute. 

Public Bank were made to slog against newcomers Kelantan JPS before pulling off a narrow 1-0 win in their match played at the Sultan Mohamed IV Stadium in Kota Baru earlier yesterday. 

Skipper Paul Raj scored the winner off a penalty kick in the 31st minute.