Azim Izamuddin Suhaimi

Muhammad Azim Izamuddin bin Haji Suhaimi (born 20 May 1997) is a Bruneian footballer who plays for Kota Ranger FC of the Brunei Super League as a midfielder.[1]

Azim Izamuddin
Personal information
Full name Muhammad Azim Izamuddin bin Haji Suhaimi
Date of birth (1997-05-20) 20 May 1997 (age 26)
Place of birth Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Kota Ranger FC
Number 16
Youth career
2013–2014 MSSSBD
2015 Tabuan Muda
2015–2016 DPMM FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015 Tabuan U18
2016–2019 DPMM FC 5 (0)
2019 DPMM FC II 7 (1)
2020– Kota Ranger 7 (1)
International career
2018 Brunei U21 3 (0)
2017–2019 Brunei U23 8 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 June 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 March 2019

Club career edit

Azim was a participant of the footballing scheme run by Brunei Darussalam Schools' Sports Council (MSSSBD) under the Ministry of Education, whilst attending Sayyidina Hasan Secondary School.[2] He was soon scouted by Brunei's football association NFABD and placed him in the Tabuan Under-18 team in the 2015 Brunei Premier League.[3]

Azim attended a tryout for DPMM FC's Under-19 team in early 2015 and was selected by Steve Kean as the team's captain.[4][5] He progressed well through the ranks and was awarded with a promotion to the first team at the start of the 2016 S.League season, alongside Abdul Hafiz Abdul Rahim and Na'im Tarif.[6] He made his competitive debut in a 3–0 loss to Ceres-La Salle in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Singapore Cup on 30 June 2016.[7]

On 21 July, Azim came on as a second-half substitute against Tampines Rovers and later capitalized on a mistake from Joey Sim to score the winner of the match, enabling DPMM to qualify as group winners in the 2016 Singapore League Cup group stage.[8] His team went all the way to the final later that month, but Azim could only watch from the bench as DPMM lose to Albirex Niigata (S) in a 0–2 scoreline.[9] Azim finally made his S.League debut on 11 August in a 1–1 stalemate against Geylang International, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute.[10]

Azim played for the academy side of his club that competed in the 2018-19 Brunei Premier League in early 2019. He appeared in all seven matches and was the captain for the final game of the season when they were crowned champions of the league.[11] However he was barely in Adrian Pennock's plans in the first team, and was let go after the 2019 season ended, making only a single substitute appearance in two years.

Azim joined Kota Ranger FC for the 2020 Brunei Super League season,[12] winning the Piala Sumbangsih in his first appearance on 8 February against MS ABDB.[13]

As of 1 August 2021, he has scored at least once during the 2021 Brunei Super League for Kota Ranger FC.

International career edit

Azim was selected for the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualification matches held in Myanmar in July 2017, his first involvement with the national team at any level.[14] He made his debut in the first group game against Australia as a second-half substitute in a 2–0 loss. He started the third and final game against Singapore and scored a consolation for the Young Wasps in the 1–4 defeat.[15]

One year later, Azim was selected for the 2018 Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy with the under-21s.[16] He started the opening match on 23 April, which was a 0–1 loss against Timor-Leste. He was relegated to the substitutes' bench in their second game against Thailand, but came on later in the match and took the corner that club teammate Yura Yunos scored the winner from.[17]

Azim was once again chosen to play for the under-23s at the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification round held in Vietnam in late March 2019. He was a second-half substitute in the second game against Thailand where Brunei were comprehensibly beaten 0–8. He also came on late for an injured Martin Haddy Khallidden in the final game against Indonesia and scored a retaken penalty in the 85th minute after the dismissal of goalkeeper Muhammad Riyandi for a second bookable offence.[18] (The initial penalty by Nur Asyraffahmi Norsamri was saved by Riyandi but he was booked for stepping off his line before the kick was taken. With Garuda Muda having used all three substitutes, stand-in keeper Dimas Drajad was unable to stop Azim's spotkick, but later saved another penalty in injury time. The game ended 2–1 to Indonesia.)

Honours edit

DPMM FC
Kota Ranger

References edit

  1. ^ "Kean on most potent attacking force". Borneo Bulletin. 16 March 2016. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  2. ^ "NFABD-TELBRU Under 16 Football League". Radio Television Brunei. 19 May 2013. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Maten powers Tabuan U-18". The Brunei Times. 12 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  4. ^ "DPMM FC youth trial Sunday". Borneo Bulletin. 7 January 2015. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  5. ^ "DPMM FC set qualifying time in 2.4km test". Borneo Bulletin. 11 February 2016. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Kean setting the bar high for defending champions DPMM". FourFourTwo Singapore. 12 February 2016. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  7. ^ "DPMM FC Lost to Ceres La Salle 3-0". Borneo Bulletin. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  8. ^ "The New Paper League Cup 2016: Akbar's 100 Percent Stags Record Ended By Resurgent Wasps". S.League. 22 July 2016. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  9. ^ "DPMM vs. Albirex Niigata S 0 - 2". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Geylang International vs. DPMM 1 - 1". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  11. ^ "DPMM FC crowned Premier League champs". Borneo Bulletin. 27 February 2019. Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  12. ^ "Kota Ranger thump Setia Perdana 7-0". Borneo Bulletin. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Adi Said's hat-trick guides Kota Ranger to Charity Cup triumph". Borneo Bulletin. 9 February 2020. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  14. ^ "AFC U-23 CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 QUALIFIERS SQUAD LIST: Brunei Darussalam". Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  15. ^ "Brunei end AFC U-23 C'Ship qualifiers with loss to Singapore". BruSports News. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Faiq Jefri Bolkiah to lead national team". Borneo Bulletin. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Brunei edge Thailand in last-gasp win". Borneo Bulletin. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  18. ^ "Brunei miss late penalty in dramatic end to AFC U-23 meet". Borneo Bulletin. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.

External links edit