Desperate Felda have to attack
IT is all hands on deck for Felda United in today’s Malaysia Cup quarter-final return leg against Perak SEDC in Shah Alam with B. Sathianathan prepared to throw everthing at their opponents.
Needing to score a minimum of three goals to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg in Jengka, Felda go into the away fixture with striker Ifedayo Omosuyi set to start after recovering from a back injury.
The Nigerian, a mid-season signing from Bahrain’s Al-Hidd, has scored seven goals and made a tentative comeback by coming off the bench in Felda’s last two games.
“It feels good to be back and I haven’t felt any pain,” said Omosuyi, 26, who played the entire second half in the first leg and another 15 minutes in Felda’s 3-1 win over Kedah in Alor Star in Wednesday’s Super League match.
“It’s very possible for us to get three goals. The coach has his tactics and the team will play to his instructions. That’s what we will do, get the three goals.
“Everyone here is ready to give their best, just like me. The target is to win whatever is attainable. We will give it our best to win the Malaysia Cup and finish in the best position in the league. We have a strong team to go all the way.”
Coach Sathianathan is prepared to start with Omosuyi, who most recently won the Bahrain FA Cup with Al-Hidd in May, as Felda desperately need the goals to reach the Malaysia Cup semi-finals for only the third time in the club’s history.
“I didn’t want to risk him earlier but we want to go far in the Malaysia Cup so I have no other choice. I think Omosuyi has to come in and prove his worth,” said Sathianathan, who memorably steered unfancied Armed Forces to the Malaysia Cup final in 2012.
“We expect him to deliver and he will. He has big-match temperament, he’s played in finals and at the higher levels.”
Sathianathan is also pleased to see winger Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor score twice from free-kicks against Kedah after taking over set-piece duties.
“He’s been training hard, taking all the free-kicks and it’s helped him,” added Sathinathan before putting his team through their paces at the BSN Training Centre in Bangi yesterday.
Meanwhile, Darul Ta’zim have one foot in the semi-finals with a 4-1 lead over Melaka ahead of the second leg at Larkin as they bid to win the competition for the first time.
Defending champions Kedah host Selangor in Alor Star holding a 3-2 advantage with the visitors needing to end a three-match losing run to advance to the last-four.