Bacina: We are still top

Nenad Bacina was content with his Tampines Rovers side's 1-1 draw with DPMM FC despite it ending their 100% start to the 2013 Great Eastern-YEO's S.League season.

Although it meant that Tampines had to settle for a share of the spoils for the first time in the campaign, Bacina believes it was not the worst result they could have gotten.

"We expected a tough match because we know DPMM always bring a very physical game," he said. "They sat back and defended quite well.

"They tried to play on the counterattack and it was on one such occasion that they scored the first goal. But we stayed positive, especially in the second half and put them under pressure and finally we equalised.

"We are still the only unbeaten team in the league and we have to stay positive. We're looking forward to the next game against Albirex [Niigata (S)].

"I don't see any reason why we should panic; we are still on top of the table and everything is in our hands. The pressure should be on the other clubs."

Nonetheless, the Croat did lament his side's inability to take the many chances they created as he believes they deserved all three points based on their overall display.

"I think we deserved more than a point, definitely," Bacina added. "I believe we controlled the game and put them under pressure.

"We introduced three strikers up front and that paid off in the end with Amri's equaliser [but] we could have scored more.

"We hit the post once and there were a few occasions we had chances inside the box and came very close to scoring, but in the end we have to be satisfied."

The game did have a moment of controversy in the 66th minute when DPMM striker Adi Said appeared to be tripped by Jufri Taha inside the area, only for referee Yazeen Buhari to award the decision the other way and book the Bruneian for diving.

The call infuriated the DPMM camp and coach Vjeran Simunic called the refereeing 'shameful' and 'a scandal' in his post-match press conference, but Bacina believes Yazeen had made the right decision.

"I think it was a good decision by the referee," he said. "I'm very happy the referee did not get cheated."