NO FAIRYTALE RUN
Underdogs shown the door by big boys
FOOTBALL loves a fairytale — especially if it involves an underdog and the FA Cup. But in reality, it rarely happens in Malaysian football.
On Tuesday, amateur teams, except for M4 League side Jerantut FC, were shown the exit in the FA Cup second round by fancied opponents.
Jerantut were lucky as they were drawn against another amateur side.
The Pahang-based side defeated Johor Baru FA 3-0 with goals by Hafiz Sulaiman (31st), Hariz Irfan (71st) and Shazlan Zaidan (90th).
Semi-professional side Protap FC, who play in the M3 League, were hammered 51 by Premier League’s Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia while Super League side Terengganu thrashed Ultimate 5-0 after an early scare.
M3 League’s Kuching, however, produced a respectable performance before S. Chanturu netted in the final minute for Felda United to seal their spot in the third round.
The match of the day was between Selangor and former giants Kelantan in Kota Baru with B. Sathianathan’s side recording a 3-0 win. Faiz Nasir was the toast for Selangor with a brace in the 65th and 89th minutes to compliment Syazwan Zainon’s goal in the 62nd minute.
Kelantan coach Marko Kraljevic said his team were nervous in the absence of two regulars against Selangor.
Uruguay-born striker Raul Tarragona quit the team on Monday while Brazilian defender Cassio De Jesus is still recovering from an injury.
“We created chances and trooped out of the pitch without conceding a goal in the first half. But things changed when Selangor scored their first goal. My players, especially the youngsters, were mentally disorientated and they allowed Selangor to dictate the game.
“We missed the calming presence of Jesus in defence. I am not sure when he will be able to play again,” said Kraljevic.
Although delighted, Sathianathan sympathised with Kelantan.
“They have young and talented players but they are inexperienced. The team do not have capable seniors who can guide them in matches. It is a great win for Selangor. I hope the boys will carry on performing at their best in upcoming matches,” he said.