Tambadaus pledge to do best in FA Cup
Sabah Tambadaus squad have pledged their best in the FA Cup 2019.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tambadaus squad have pledged their best in the FA Cup 2019.
Team manager Henry Saimpon said the FA Cup was equally important with the Premier League challenge and that they would do their utmost to progress as further possible in the knockout competition.
And the first challenge will come in the form of the FAM Cuppers, Kelantan United FC, who will be hosting the second round tie either on April 2 or April 3.
“We are ‘okay’ with the outcome of the second round draw (on Monday). We are fully ready to take on the challenge and from there try to go as far possible in the competition.
“The FA Cup is different from the league challenge where it is a knock-out competition. So, we will treat every game like a final match,” he said here yesterday.
Having said that, Henry said their focus now would be on the two league games taking place before they play Kelantan United FC in the FA Cup second round.
“We will take one game at a time, be it in the league or in the FA Cup. The most important thing is that we must make sure we are ready for any match and to try get a victory.
“We will not take any team for granted and this includes Kelantan United FC who ply their trade in the country third division football (FAM Cup).
“Sabah must give their best on the pitch regardless of the opponents,” he said while adding Sabah’s improving league form should allow them to go into the FA Cup first game with confidence.
In the FA Cup 2018, Sabah put up a brave performance against the ‘Malaysia Galacticos’ Johor Darul Ta’azim (JDT) before losing 1-2 in their second round meeting here.
The Tambadaus have won the FA cup only once in 1995 while finishing as runner-up in 193, 1994 and 1998.
In another development, Sabah senior team players Evan Wensley Wenceslaus and Ariusdius Jais, both 21, have been called up to the national under-22 squad centralised training camp under head coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee.
The Tambadaus duo are among the 27 players named for the training camp which is in preparation for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-23 Championship qualifiers at Shah Alam Stadium, Selangor from March 22-26.
Only 23 players will make the tournament squad where it will be announced after the squad play against Australia Under22 in an international friendly on March 17.
Malaysia have been drawn on Group J of the qualifiers along with Laos, the Philippines and China.