Football: 2019 SPL champions Brunei DPMM to return after 3-year hiatus
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Brunei DPMM's Belarusian striker Andrei Varankou celebrating after scoring in his team's 7-1 win over Balestier Khalsa, in their Singapore Premier League match in April 2019.
PHOTO: FAS
Follow topic:
After a three-year hiatus, two-time champions Brunei DPMM will make their much-anticipated return to the Singapore Premier League (SPL) in 2023.
The 2015 and 2019 league winners have sat out the last three SPL campaigns because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
DPMM general manager Ali Haji Momin told The Straits Times on Wednesday that he has received confirmation from the Football Association of Singapore that they will be competing in the upcoming season, which is expected to kick off in mid-February.
He said: “We look forward to making our return and our target is of course to be champions again. The quality in the SPL has gone up in the last few years and we hope to add to that quality this season.”
On Wednesday, DPMM announced their four foreign players for the 2023 SPL season on their website. Heading the list is 2019 SPL top scorer and former Belarus international Andrei Varankou, who plundered 21 goals in 22 games for the champions.
Former Spanish youth international defender Angel Martinez, Uzbek goalkeeper Akmal Tursunbaev and Croatian midfielder Josip Balic are their other imports.
DPMM will continue to host home matches at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Bandar Seri Begawan, said Ali, which will give the other SPL teams the full away experience for the first time in three years.
The team’s return will boost the quality of the league as they will come up against defending champions Albirex Niigata, 2021 winners Lion City Sailors, Hougang United and Tampines Rovers in the battle for the title.
Hougang coach Firdaus Kassim said: “Although the composition of the DPMM squad is unknown, over their past seasons in the SPL, they have traditionally competed for top spots.
“I am expecting the same in the upcoming season from them. Especially after they won the league in their last participation, so I am very sure they are keen to (win) the league title.”
Tampines Rovers coach Gavin Lee also welcomed DPMM’s return. He told ST previously: “The travel over there is always a nice change for local teams, and most importantly DPMM are always a good side, and have good quality.”
The FAS has yet to officially announce DPMM’s return or details for the 2023 season.
Last week, the SPL’s official Facebook page uploaded a poster with the logos of all nine clubs for the 2023 season, including DPMM, only to remove it later.
A provisional date of Feb 19 has been set for league champions Albirex’s meeting with Cup winners Hougang in the Community Shield, the traditional curtain-raiser, with the SPL expected to kick off on Feb 26.
DPMM first joined Singapore’s domestic league, then known as the S-League, in 2009. But, midway through that season, they were expelled by Fifa for government interference in the affairs of the Brunei Football Association. They managed to win the League Cup before the suspension, though.
They returned to the S-League in 2012 after the ban was lifted and competed till 2020, winning two more League Cups in 2012 and 2014.
In March 2020, DPMM started their SPL title defence with a 2-0 win over Tampines – a result that was eventually voided as the club could not return to complete the season
The FAS did not respond to ST’s queries on DPMM’s return and details on the 2023 SPL season.
