KEDAH COACH DUMBFOUNDED
Marcote rues missed chances after last-minute loss against KL
KEDAH coach Ramon Marcote wore the look of one who could not fathom how his side lost a dramatic Super League match 4-3 through a last-second goal to Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
The Spaniard struggled to explain his side’s display which saw Kedah attempt 21 shots at goal and score three times in Cheras yet still return to Alor Star with nothing to show.
Marcote laid the blame on individual mistakes with defenders Khairul Helmi Johari and Alvaro Silva and goalkeeper Ifwat Akmal Chek Kassim culpable for KL’s four goals.
“We were the better team, creating many chances but failed to take them,” said Marcote after Kedah’s third defeat in five Super League matches.
“Usually when you score three goals you win the game but four mistakes allowed KL to score four goals, including in the last minute. If we played this game 100 times, we should win 100 times.”
Baddrol Bahtiar’s absence through injury may have impacted upon Kedah, who scored twice through Pablo Pallares and once from Liridon Krasniqi, but Marcote rejected that contention.
“We don’t know because Baddrol is not here, we can only talk about the players who played,” he said.
“We played well and I try to explain why we did not win, but I cannot explain.
“How many chances did KL have? I cannot remember. I can only remember the goals they scored.”
The tone was set in the third minute when Khairul Helmi was robbed of the ball by Zaquan Adha Radzak to open the scoring before Silva was also dispossessed by Zaquan who was then fouled by Khairul Helmi to concede a penalty.
Guilherme De Paula scored from the spot to make it 2-2 before collective poor defending by Kedah allowed an unmarked Paulo Josue to give KL the lead again.
When Pallares scored on 90 minutes to even the score, it looked like Kedah would claim a point but Ifwat failed to hold on to a shot by De Paula to allow Ashri Chuchu to smash in the game winner with the last kick of the ball.
“He (Khairul Helmi) failed but in football mistakes can happen,” said Marcote.
“We have to watch the game again and analyse the performance of all the players, not just Khairul Helmi.”