MOF eye Selangor’s scalp

Cup side Ministry of Finance FC hope to strike a blow for the minnows in the FA Cup second round when they face record fivetime winners Selangor in Cheras today.

MOF advanced to the third round last year where they were beaten 4-2 by Sabah but coach Razip Ismail is realistic about matching that achievement this time around.

Despite having the tournament’s top scorer in Fakrullah Rosli, who plundered five goals in the 6-0 beating of amateurs Central News Agency in the first round, Razip said their focus this season is on gaining promotion to the Premier League.

“The FA Cup is not our priority but I still want the team to give it their best against Selangor and put in a respectable performance,” said Razip, who won the FA Cup as a player with Kuala Lumpur in 1993.

“We want to keep morale high before our next game against Shahzan Muda in the FAM Cup on Wednesday. We know we are not at the same level as Selangor who can count on their imports against our all-local side.

“So we will just go out and enjoy the game although it will be difficult to stop Selangor.”

After grounding out a 0-0 draw with Armed Forces in their opening FAM Cup last Sunday, Razip plans to make changes to keep his side fresh for the Group A game against Shahzan Muda in Temerloh.

“Our target is to win promotion to the Premier League so the match against Shahzan Muda takes priority,” he said.

Selangor go into the game at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium on the back of two straight defeats to Terengganu (4-1) and Pahang (3-1) in the Super League with coach P. Maniam sure to welcome a win to stop his team’s slide.

Two non-league teams will attempt to continue their run in the tournament when Axis-O2 play Premier League side Kuantan in Shah Alam while Klang Southern take on Super League’s Melaka at the Hang Jebat Stadium.

Axis-02, who ousted SCRR Kuala Kangsar 4-1 in the first round, will fancy their chances of upsetting an inconsistent Kuantan team at the UiTM Stadium.

“We will attack. We will not sit back. This is the battle we have all been waiting for,” said Axis-O2 coach Shazwan Wong on the club’s Twitter feed.