Suni bin Mat Jerah (born 4 May 1968) is a retired Bruneian footballer. He played as a striker for the Brunei national team and most notably the Bruneian representative team that joined the Malaysian leagues in the late nineties, and was part of the 1999 Malaysia Cup-winning squad.
 Suni in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Suni bin Mat Jerah | ||
| Date of birth | 4 May 1968 | ||
| Place of birth | Brunei | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–2000 | Brunei | ||
| 2001–2008 | Wijaya FC | ||
| 2012 | Perda FC | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 1995–2001 | Brunei | 13+ | (2+) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 March 2016 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 June 2023 | |||
Club career
editSuni first played with Brunei in the Liga Semi-Pro Malaysia in 1995, forming a lethal strike partnership with experienced striker Rosanan Samak.[1] His M-League career came to a climax in 1999 when Brunei beat Sarawak FA 2–1 in the final of the Malaysia Cup, although he did not take the field.[2] After Brunei were relegated from Premier 1 the next season, he chose to leave the team for Wijaya FC in the domestic league.[3]
Now revered as a legend, Suni brought success to Wijaya with the Brunei FA Cup in 2002 and the B-League championship in 2003.[4][5] In his last season as a Wijaya player, he scored a last-minute winner against Majra FC to put his team into the final of the 2008 Brunei FA Cup.[6] He would be let down in his last game by a solitary MS ABDB goal in the final.[7]
Suni came out of retirement to captain Perda FC for the 2012 Brunei National Football League (precursor to the Brunei Super League), but his side finished seventh in the 8-team group stage.[8][9]
International career
editSuni debuted at the 1995 SEA Games held in Thailand, scoring a goal against Singapore on 4 December.[10] Brunei would lose all of their matches after this valiant 2–2 draw.
The following year, Suni started four games in as many matches at the inaugural 1996 AFF Championship held in September, claiming victory against the Philippines in a 1–0 win.[11] He also scored a goal against Laos in the 1998 AFF Championship qualification group game where Brunei failed to qualify with two losses.[12]
Suni played for Brunei at the 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualifying round, a disastrous campaign which included a heavy 9–0 defeat by Japan.[13][14] His last outings for the national team were at the 2002 World Cup qualifying first round for AFC, playing the full ninety minutes in Brunei's record heaviest defeat, a 0–12 drubbing by the United Arab Emirates.[15][16]
Honours
edit- Brunei M-League Team
- Malaysia Cup: 1999
- Brunei FA Cup: 2002
- B-League: 2003
References
edit- ^ "Malaysia Club Info 1996". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 30 July 1999. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Piala Malaysia 1999: Brunei FA lawan Sarawak FA". Che Din. 6 March 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "M-League - Operation 'Promotion' kicks off". Borneo Bulletin. 9 April 2001. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Lady Luck on Wijaya's side?". The Brunei Times. 13 March 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Classy MS ABDB win big". The Brunei Times. 9 December 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Wijaya beat Majra to reach FA Cup final". The Brunei Times. 7 August 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "ABDB gun down Wijaya to clinch Cup". The Brunei Times. 31 August 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Rimba Star, Perda settle for draw". The Brunei Times. 8 January 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Brunei 2011/12". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 13 December 2002. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Nightmare start for lions". The Straits Times. 5 December 1995. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "Brunei terselamat dari duduk di tangga bawah". Berita Harian. 9 September 1996. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Brunei out of Tiger Cup". The Straits Times. 17 March 1998. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "2000年 第12回アジアカップ レバノン". ASIAN FOOTBALL SHOW. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "2000 MATCHES". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 2 February 2005. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Football - Brunei soccer teams unveiled". Borneo Bulletin. 4 April 2001. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Brunei vs. UAE 0 - 12". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
External links
edit- Suni Mat Jerah at National-Football-Teams.com
- Suni Mat Jerah at Soccerway