Pahang to go all out against Division Four side PIB

PETALING JAYA: The FA Cup draw may have favoured Pahang, but they are not taking their opponents lightly.

The defending champions face M-League Division Four team PIB in the second round of the tournament at the Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan next month.

Their opponents, an amateur side, beat Real Chukai 2-1 in the first round of the FA Cup.

Pahang manager Datuk Sufian Awang said they would not look down on PBI and would play at full strength against the side from Shah Alam.

“We cannot underestimate a team in any competition. We’ll field our best players against PIB,” said Sufian.

But their goal remains the same – to win the coveted Cup despite a tougher challenge.

“Teams have signed up good players for the Super League, and every team dream of winning the FA Cup,” he said.

“It’ll not be easy to defend it but we’ve told our players to be ambitious and win every tournament, including the FA Cup.”

The draw, which was held at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC), saw a blooper when number nine was drawn twice from the bowl.

The event emcee quickly corrected it as number six, and Kedah were handed an away game against Selangor United.

But upon closer inspection, it was found that the earlier number nine pulled out was actually six.

Malaysia Football League (MFL) CEO Kevin Ramalingam stepped in to clarify the confusion and a panel of observers endorsed the draw.