Rhinos come from behind to win in friendly

Sabah FC fought back from a goal down to beat Johor Darul Ta’zim II (JDT II) 3-1 in the first of two friendly matches against the Premier League outfit on Saturday.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah FC fought back from a goal down to beat Johor Darul Ta’zim II (JDT II) 3-1 in the first of two friendly matches against the Premier League outfit on Saturday.

Played at the Tan Sri Dato’ Hj Hassan Yunos Stadium in Larkin, the Rhinos were stunned after only 16 minutes of play, courtesy of a fine effort from Amirul Husaini Zamri.

Sabah FC were unperturbed as South Korean import Park Tae Su levelled the tie after an assist from Indonesian international winger Saddil Ramdani in the 32nd minute.

The first half ended 1-1. Sabah FC returned with much confidence in the second half and it did not take them long to increase the lead.

Saddil was again in the thick of action as his accurate delivery from a free kick was headed home by Croation import Josip Ivancic in the 50th minute.

Striker Bobby Gonzales, who replaced Ivancic, all but secured victory when he expertly directed the ball into the back of the net after being set up by youngster Mohamad Sahrizan Saidin in the 81st minute.

The victory against the feeder club of current Super League leaders JDT was certainly a positive progress for the Rhinos after their extended break from league action due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Head coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto advised the players must continue to stay committed and focused in their second meeting at the same venue today at 9pm.

“We are really glad with the win but we must not be carried away. Instead, we must prepare for the second friendly game.

“Two months out (from competitive match) is a very long time and we must take full advantage of the friendly matches to warm up for the resumption of the league campaign.

“The friendly matches are very important to gauge the players’ ability while at the same time focus on building compatibility among the players,” he was quoted in a statement issued by Sabah FC on Sunday.

Commenting further on Saturday’s friendly game, Kurniawan admitted there were several unnecessary mistakes the team committed but the players improved in the second period.

“We told the players that there should be no pressure since it was only a friendly match...they need to stay focused and play their normal game.

“There are certainly rooms for improvement and hopefully we will rectify the weaknesses before we play the second (friendly) match,” he added.

Towards this end, Kurniawan pledged to ensure the team would be fully ready for the league resumption where the Rhinos will take on PJ City FC at the MBPJ Stadium on July 24.

Sabah FC are currently seventh in the 12-team Super League having collected 16 points from 13 matches. They registered four wins, four draws and five defeats.

Two months out (from competitive match) is a very long time and we must take full advantage of the friendly matches to warm up for the resumption of the league campaign. Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto