Sloppy Selangor anger Zainal
ZAINAL Abidin Hassan slammed his side after Selangor conspired to blow a 3-1 lead and allow Kelantan to escape with a point from their Malaysia Cup Group B encounter in Shah Alam on Wednesday.
Substitute Manaf Mamat’s tame shot, after seven minutes were added on at the end of a pulsating game, trickled under Selangor goalkeeper Norazlan Razali to leave both teams tied on four points in Group B.
Defending champions Selangor were the architect of their own downfall with another of Kelantan’s goals coming from an indirect freekick in the box after Norazlan was penalised for holding on to the ball for too long.
Zainal described the two points dropped as a waste though he praised striker Patrick Wleh, who scored twice to put Selangor 3-1 up early in the second half.
“It’s two points dropped for us tonight, right at the last second. It is a waste to let in such a late goal, I have to say,” Zainal told TV9 after the match at the Shah Alam Stadium.
“But I am pleased that Patrick accepted the challenge and took our warning seriously to improve his game and he showed an immediate reaction.”
This is the second time Kelantan have held Selangor in Shah Alam this season following a 0-0 draw in the Super League on May 18 though Selangor routed Kelantan 5-2 in Kota Baru three days later, just a week after Velizar Popov had taken over the Kelantan hot-seat from K. Devan.
Bulgarian Popov took great pleasure in the team spirit showed by his players in the comeback effort to add to their victories over Pahang (10) and Terengganu (6-1) since the
Kelantan’s
during their teams drew 3-3. (right) goes against Selangor’s
match on Wednesday. The mid-season break ended.
“We played a good game and I am proud of them,” said Popov.
“Not only the performance but the spirit also. Very difficult to come back from 3-1 and to draw 3-3 and fight until the last moment.”
Former national team and Terengganu forward Manaf was playing only his second game, both as a substitute, since signing for Kelantan last December and after a lengthy injury spell.
His goal capped a tremendous fightback after Mauro Olivi and Wleh put Selangor 2-0 ahead only for Wander Luiz to pull one back from the indirect free-kick just before the break.
Wleh made it 3-1 soon after and another Kelantan substitute, Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor found the corner of the net with a brilliant curling effort to set the stage for Mana’s grandstand finish.
The result leaves both Selangor, who remain unbeaten in their last eight domestic matches, and Kelantan one point ahead of Kuala Lumpur in Group B. By Devinder Singh