Subra confident Kelantan will be able to beat Ayeyawady

PETALING JAYA: Injured Kelantan centre-back S. Subramaniam is confident that his teammates will claim their first win in the AFC Cup competition when they play Ayeyawady United at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon today

Subra is one of three Kelantan players who did not make the trip to Myanmar. He picked up a groin injury in Kelantan’s 2-1 win over Negri Sembilan in the Super League on March 4 and has already missed three matches.

Norshahrul Idlan Talaha and Azizi Mat Rose were also left behind by coach Bojan Hodak. They are undergoing treatment at the National Sports Institute (ISN).

I’m disappointed at missing another AFC Cup match due to my injury, which we initially thought was a minor problem.

— S. SUBRAMANIAM

“I’m disappointed at missing another AFC Cup match due to my injury, which we initially thought was a minor problem,” said Subra, 26.

“I hope to be fully fit for our third AFC Cup match. It’s important that we win in Yangon and I’m confident we will get a positive result.”

Kelantan’s opening match against Vietnam’s Navibank Saigon at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on March 6 ended in a 0-0 draw.

The east coast side’s second match is expected to be an uphill battle as they are facing an injury crisis and will also be without talismanic goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, midfielders Ramzul Zahini Adenan, Khairul Izuan Rosli and striker Azlan Ismail.

However, the Red Warriors have all four of their foreign players – Ghanaian Antwi Dennis Agyare, Lebanese Mohd Ghaddar and Nigerians Obinna Nwaneri and Nwoha Onyekachi – available.