Brunei DPMM's Great Eastern Yeo's S.League title charge was dealt a huge blow when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Courts Young Lions at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday night.
It was a tense affair that saw both teams ending the game with ten men while Rafael Ramazotti and Sherif El-Masri got the goals.
True to their form, the home team exerted their authority and within three minutes, Jordan Webb went clear down the middle before unleashing a shot that produced a superb save from Wardun Yussof.
DPMM finally found their rhythm on nine minutes when they had their first opportunity on goal. A Hendra Azam free kick found Boris Raspudic in the box but the Serbian defender could only divert his header over the bar.
The Young Lions were on the ascendancy and another good move in the 14th minute saw Amy Recha find space in the box, only to slice his shot wide.
DPMM went against the run of play four minutes later to open the scoring through Ramazotti.
An innocuous free kick from Azwan Ali was handled by Fadli Kamis in the box and referee Jansen Foo awarded a penalty to the visitors. Ramazotti stepped up and put away his 12th league goal of the season.
There rest of the first half was a tardy affair and the Young Lions were lucky to escape in the 23rd minute when Amirul Adli gave away a second penalty, only for the linesman to flag for offside.
The tide changed three minutes later when DPMM were reduced to ten men after Adi Said willfully threw an elbow at Sheikh Abdul Hadi to earn a straight red to the ire of the away bench.
Despite playing with ten men, DPMM almost doubled their lead in the 32nd minute. A Sairol Sahari cross met the head of Ramazotti who was denied by an alert Syazwan Buhari in goal.
Adam Swandi's speculative volley two minutes before the break caught out Wardun who was at full stretch but the Wasps survived the scare as the ball rattled the crossbar.
The former FC Metz forward came out for the second half in positive fashion and tested Wardun with a 15-yard curler on 52 minutes.
It was Fadli who almost leveled the game on 64 minutes but the left-back failed to keep his header down after a pinpoint free kick from Adam.
A brilliant piece of direct play in the 68th minute saw Wardun's goal-kick nodded on by Ramazotti, into the path of Azwan who in turn sent a lob to Paulo Sergio who could not believe his eyes when his ferocious strike cannoned off the crossbar.
Young Lions stormed down the other end and Sheikh Abdul Hadi's 25-yard drive struck the crossbar, in a repeat of what happened at the other end of the pitch just seconds earlier.
The home side's efforts finally paid off with 12 minutes left on the clock when Adam swung in a perfect corner to allow El-Masri a free header to make it one apiece.
DPMM were given a glimmer of hope on 85 minutes when Amirul earned a second caution to get sent off. The visitors tried to rally together in search of the winner but rarely threatened a stout Young Lions defence.
Speaking after the game, a visibly pleased Juergen Raab was quick to heap praise on his Young Lions team, who have now got four points from their last three matches.
"The aim before the match was a draw against this team," remarked the German coach. "That was our first target and hopefully a win after that. That is always our target at home.
"At the start we were in trouble with the penalty and it made it uneasy for us. It was fantastic what the team delivered in the second half. The style was very good and the counterattacks were very good. Maybe we deserved more but overall I'm pleased... what the team delivered in three matches over seven days is fantastic."
The result failed to move DPMM up the table and they remain in third, while the Young Lions are now just two points away from Hougang who occupy ninth spot.
DPMM will take on Hougang in their next game on Wednesday and the Young Lions have a chance to climb off the foot of the table when they entertain Balestier Khalsa on Friday.
Courts Young Lions: Syazwan Buhari (GK)(C), Fadli Kamis, Amirul Adli, Sheikh Abdul Hadi, Farhan Rahmat, M. Anumanthan (Danial Razali 57'), Afiq Noor (Suria Prakash 76'), Jordan Webb, Adam Swandi, Sheril El-Masri, Amy Recha (Shameer Aziq 57')
Brunei DPMM: Wardun Yussof, Sairol Sahari, Rosmin Kamis (C), Boris Raspudic, Aminuddin Zakwan, Joseph Gamble, Hendra Azam, Azwan Ali (Mauludi Hilmi 81'), Paulo Sergio, Adi Said, Rafael Ramazotti