Ex-champions Keningau, Tawau favourites in Inter-District Football Tournament semis

KOTA KINABALU: Keningau and Tawau, with their reputation as former champions, are certainly the teams to beat in the semifinals of the Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Haji Aman Inter-District Football Tournament today.

The competition inaugural champions in 2013, Keningau will take on Beaufort while 2014 winners Tawau will tackle Kota Kinabalu.

The Keningau-Beaufort tie will take place at the Likas Stadium while Tawau and Kota Kinabalu play their match at the UMS Stadium. The matches will start at 3.30pm.

Despite their reputation, undefeated Keningau and Tawau who are first and second in Group A Finals Rounds are set to face tough challenges from Beaufort and Kota Kinabalu.

Kota Kinabalu, like Keningau, are also undefeated with two wins and draw en route to topping Group B while runners-up Beaufort have defied the odds to be in the last four.

Assistant manager of Keningau Kennedy B. Bukat said they were mentally and physically ready for Beaufort, who have the services of a number of State Under-19 players.

Kennedy said Keningau players were free from injury and that they are determined to continue their fine run in the tournament.

"We are well aware of the strength of Beaufort especially with the state youth players in their team but we will try our best.

"The spirit in the team is good and we are not under any pressure... one thing for sure is that we will fight to the final whistle," he said yesterday.

Beaufort team manager Mohd Yassin Aman revealed they are more than ready to face Keningau in what will be a match between the highest scoring team (Keningau) against the meanest defence in the Final Rounds.

Keningau have scored 12 goals in three group matches while 2015 semifinalists Beaufort conceded only a single goal.

"We are quite a young side but not without experience as we have players from the Reserve League or State Under-19 sides as well as ex-state juniors.

"We hope to keep a clean sheet," he said.

Meanwhile, Tawau team manager Ismail Bin Awang warned his players of complacency against Kota Kinabalu who are making a first appearance in the tournament entering its fifth edition.

He said Kota Kinabalu will have the advantage of playing in their own backyard and Tawau must work hard to get the desired result.

"It is our hope to see our players give their best and get the better of the opponents," he said while hoping for good weather to allow for both teams to play a quality match.

Lokman Sunggim, the Kota Kinabalu team manager, said they would be the clear underdogs but it would not stop them from trying to get into the final.

He said Kota Kinabalu too will be banking on several players from the Sabah junior teams to overcome their opponents.

"We will definitely hope that they (juniors) will lead us to victory,” he said.

The final of the tournament will be played on Sunday where the champions will receive cash prizes of RM25,000 followed by RM12,500 for the runners-up as well as RM4,500 and RM3,500 for the third and fourth placed teams respectively.