Rhinos downed 1-4 again
Sabah failed to register a victory in their second successive remier eague tures a er going down 1-4 to ahang Kuantan FA at Darul Makmur Stadium on Monday.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah failed to register a victory in their second successive Premier League fixtures after going down 1-4 to Pahang Kuantan FA at Darul Makmur Stadium on Monday.
The defeat came after the Rhinos were also tamed with an identical scoreline in the season opener to Selangor UiTM FC last Friday.
For the second straight match, the Rhinos’ tendency to concede goals midway into the second half action proved to be their downfall.
“We played very well for 70 minutes but we couldn’t last the entire match,” said head coach Vjeran Simunic after the game.
Simunic named an unchanged side for the second straight away match and it seemed to have worked wonders in the opening half.
Right winger Maxius Musa showed great awareness to head home the opening goal on 37 minutes that justified their good displays.
However, Dao Bakary levelled the tie from a penalty after 65 minutes of play and it all went wrong for Sabah after that.
Three goals in the last 10 minutes from Abdul Malik Mat Arif (83rd and 87th minutes) and Bakary (89th minutes) sealed the three points for Kuantan FA.
“We did not deserve this kind of scoreline but this is football.
“Our formation crumbled going into the last 20 minutes, which is questionable to me,” said a baff led Simunic.
The defeat left Sabah to languish at the foot of the 12team table, which UiTM is leading on goal difference with second placed Kuala Lumpur also on six points.
Meanwhile, Sabah will turn their attention next to the FA Cup, where they will host FAM Cuppers KL MOF FC at the Likas Stadium on February 20.
Simunic will have the added task of lifting a demoralised squad, aside from f inding a solution to their “bad habit” of conceding late goals as he looks to get the team back on track in a season that has yet to take off for them.
“We hope to rectify this problem going into our FA Cup tie against KL MOF in Kota Kinabalu this Saturday,” he said.