All Rhinos imports to play in FA Cup
Sabah will put aside their woeful Premier League form as they turn their a en on to the FA Cup compe on tonight.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will put aside their woeful Premier League form as they turn their attention to the FA Cup competition tonight.
The Rhinos will host UKM FC in a second round tie at the Likas Stadium here where a victory is a must to ease the pressure due to their poor start in the league.
The fact that Sabah will unleash all four foreign imports Jonathan Behe, Sofiane Choubani, Mayasa Jitozono and Igor Cerina against the country’s third division FAM Cup outfit show their intention clearly.
Team manager Adlane Messelem yesterday confirmed the four would start together for the first time in the current season.
It means Choubani will start his first game since joining the squad early in the season while Cerina is back having missed the embarrassing 2-5 league defeat to the Armed Forces (ATM) due to suspension.
Only Behe and Jizotono have been ever present since the opening week of the campaign.
“We want to win the game and forget about the bad Friday we had,” said Messelem referring to the thrashing by ATM where Sabah fought to level from two-nil down only to concede three late goals at the Likas Stadium.
“It is good that the (FA Cup) game comes early because it can definitely help us to get back on track.
“We are all focused on what’s coming next and want to forget about the past few days. It is not easy for our players to read all things they see lately because they have done their best.
“If we look at the result itself, yes it was very embarrassing and nobody feels happy about it. I think so far some results have been very unfair...we didn’t really face any team who is much better than us.
“However, I would like to highlight how the players reacted after being down 0-2.
“This is the kind of event we need to remind them and show them that they can be good anytime,” he added.
Messelem went on to say that some team changes can be expected, although he would not confirmed the full squad apart from the four foreign imports.
The Frenchman also did not reveal who will stand in between the posts against UKM FC especially with concern over the form of number one stopper Rozaimi Rohim following his below par performance last Friday.
“Rozaimi is very affected by his performance but also by what has been said lately about him.
“He has been an example for all players so far in terms of commitment and discipline. I don’t know if he will be in the first eleven and we need to talk to him again.
“People might not know but psychology plays one of the main parts in a high level performance.
“Rozaimi has my full support in this difficult period and we want him to recover as soon as possible and remain the good keeper he has been in our pre-season,” he said.
The Rhinos are one of two representatives in the FA Cup, where KDMM FC will also feature in the second round tie at home to MOF FC tomorrow night.