Crocs: 2 home wins to escape relegation
KUCHING: Sarawak must take advantage of its two home games to get maximum points, if they are to beat the relegation drop with only three matches to go in the 2016 Malaysian Super League soccer campaign.
The Crocs are currently ninth in the table on 18 points following its 1-1 draw with Selangor at Stadium Negeri on Wednesday.
Lying 10th are Terengganu who also amassed 18 points after 19 matches. Both teams are only one point ahead of Penang who are occupying the second relegation spot. At bottom table are Pahang with 14 points. The bottom two teams will be relegated to the second tier Premier League next season.
Sarawak will host fifth-placed Kelantan on Sept 10 before a tough away trip to Felda United on Sept 24. PDRM, who sit one point above the Crocs, will visit Kuching on Oct 22 for the final match of the season.
“We need to work extra hard, the players need to take that extra mile if we are to survive and avoid relegation. We have to take three points in our remaining home games especially the next match against Kelantan,” head coach David Usop said in his post match conference.
David noted the tough encounter against Felda United who are chasing after the League title. Despite losing 3-2 to Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in their top- of-thetable clash on Wednesday, Felda -- separated by seven points -= still have a mathematical chance to pip the league leaders.
He added that the two- week
We need to work extra hard, the players need to take that extra mile if we are to survive and avoid relegation. David Usop, Sarawak head coach
gap until the next game will be crucial to get the team into shape as he tinkers with his strategy and formation, especially in the attacking department.
On the Sarawak- Selangor draw, he expressed his disappointment, saying that the Croc’s performance was deserving of three points. “We targeted three points tonight ( Wednesday) but have to make do with the draw. I hope other results will favour us in these next three games. I am not happy with the one point but Selangor did well to bring the game to us. We will just have to take the point,” he relented.
David said his players worked hard to contain Selangor in midfield. Sarawak’s midfield engine of Junior Aparecido Guimaro, Mohammad Shahrol Saperi, Tommy Mawat Bada and Shreen Tambi were impressive in controlling the centre of the pitch while launching direct attacking football.
Most of the time, Sarawak were industrious in their attacking play. It was failure to effectively move the ball at the final third of the field - between imports Gilmar Jose Da Silva Filho and Ndumba Makeche - that had limited Sarawak’s chances at goal.
“The setback was in the strike force. We were quick in turning our defence into attack but were let down in the final third of the pitch. Our strikeforce could not contain the ball,” he explained.
He singled out Tommy, with his energetic runs and also reserved praise for Sarawak goalie Mohd Shahril Sa’ari and the back four led by captain Ronny Harun and Teah Baysah Dennis.