Lion City vs DPMM

Bishan Stadium is the venue as Lion City and DPMM go head-to-head in a tasty-looking Singapore Premier League encounter.

Last season’s Singapore Premier League runners-up Lion City launched the new league season on a high, scoring on either side of halftime in a thumping 3-1 home win over Tanjong Pagar last time out. Interestingly, three out of four goals in that match arrived on and beyond the 89th minute. However, the ‘Sailors’ have failed to impress at home, going winless in four of their last six home outings in all competitions (W2, D1, L3), the 2022 season included. DPMM’s upcoming visit to the Bishan Stadium could offer Lion City a clean slate, especially considering their formidable seven-game H2H form on home soil (W6, D1). With four of their last six H2Hs at this venue featuring over 2.5 total goals, it’s hard to exclude the possibility of a high-scoring contest.

On the other hand, visiting DPMM make a long-awaited return to the Singapore Premier League after the coronavirus pandemic forced them to leave the league and return to their parent country Brunei in 2020. The visitors won the Premier League in their last full season in the division in 2019, which places high expectations in front of title-winning manager Adrian Pennock to deliver the goods from the get-go. DPMM have won two of their last three league meetings with Lion City without a replay (L1), highlighting the importance of scoring the opener. After winning the Brunei FA Cup trophy in December 2022, they should be brimming with confidence.