Rhinos, Felda fight to standstill
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah and Felda United FC maintained their unbeaten start to the season after playing to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League top-of-the-table clash at the Likas Stadium last night.
Puerto Rican international Hector Ramos converted a penalty kick to force the draw after Felda took the lead earlier through Iain Ramsay.
However, Felda benefit much more from the outcome compared to Sabah, with the former staying on top of the table while Sabah dropped to third as Sarawak, after edging UKM FC 2-1 earlier, occupied the second place.
Sabah made a shaky start to the game with the visitors taking advantage of a three-man defence to penetrate from wide position.
The first chance fell on Sabah through Lee Gil Hoon but the South Korean’s audacious lob from 40 metres sailed over the bar.
The early scare failed to rattle the visitors as they continued to attack Sabah down both flanks and Ramsay was at the right place and time to pounce on a rare mistake by captain Rawilson Batuil.
Rawilson underhit a back pass and Ramsay, unmarked on the left, was quick to take possession before firing past goalkeeper Robson Rendy Rining from close range.
Head coach Jelius Ating replied by switching from a 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 formation after going behind to counter Felda’s increasing grip on the match.
South Korean defensive midfielder Heo Jaenyeong, who took a knock early on, was sacrificed as Jelius sent in Randy Baruh to fill in at right back while Mafry Balang took on Heo’s role.
The move brought much stability and improvement to the Rhinos’ game who eventually found more space in the final third of the pitch.
A smooth play saw Lee escape into the box and the South Korean was fouled before he could pulled the trigger, forcing referee Mohd Nafeez Abd Wahab to award a penalty kick.
Ramos made no mistake by sending Felda custodian Mohd Farizal Harun the wrong way for the equaliser at the 33rd minute. The first half ended 1-1. The Rhinos seemed a much improved side when they reemerged for the second period, creating enough chances that could have delivered the three points.
Maxsius Musa outran three defenders to go face-to-face against Farizal but the right winger’s low shot was saved.
Lee then saw his downward header from Sabri Sahar’s corner kick miss the target by inches with Farizal already beaten.
Ramos then tried his luck from just outside the box after he was set up by Lee following a Ummareng Bacok-led counter attack, but his show went wide.
Sabah will face UKM FC away next on April 24.