Sime Darby, UKM win promotion to Premier League
ZUL Fahmi Awang’s solitary strike secured Sime Darby’s return to the Premier League a year after their relegation with a 1-0 win over Felcra in the FAM Cup semi-final return leg yesterday.
Sime Darby will face Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), who will also join them in the second-tier in 2018, in the final on Oct 15 and 22.
UKM needed extra-time to edge Shahzan Muda 1-0 in Bangi, thanks to scorer Faidzol Fazreen Shamsudin, to win promotion for the first time after a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Kuantan.
Sime Darby coach Ahmad Yusof said his team deserved the promotion based on their overall performance this season.
“It was not easy because Felcra fought really hard but congratulations to my players on making it through to the final,” said Ahmad after Sime Darby advanced to the final 1-0 on aggregate at the Petaling Jaya Stadium.
“I am grateful that my players worked really hard all season to realise our ambition. I would say that today we were a bit lucky. Felcra had a few chances but were unlucky not to score.
“The difference was we capitalised on one of our chances.”
After the first leg ended 0-0, Sime Darby finally broke the deadlock in the 41st minute when Zul Fahmi finished off a counter attack by sliding Juzaili Samion’s squared pass beyond stranded Felcra goalkeeper Syamim Othman.
A fingertip save by Syamim prevented Zul Fahmi from making it 2-0 early in the second half before Felcra pushed Sime Darby into defending for the rest of the game without finding a breakthrough.
It was the second successive season that Felcra, who had Malaysia’s Sea Games stars Adib Zainuddin and N. Thanabalan in their line-up, were eliminated in the semi-finals.
“We did not capitalise on our chances and made simple mistakes and were punished for it.
“We failed at this stage again and did not achieve our target. I don’t know if we will be back next year, that is up to the management,” said Felcra coach Rosle Derus. Devinder Singh