Juniors eye victory against Armed Forces

KOTA KINABALU: The Junior Rhinos will hope to return to winning ways when they take on the Armed Forces (ATM) in the President Cup Group A tie at the Likas Stadium here today.

The match will also be Sabah’s first home game of the campaign after opening with four consecutive away fixtures.

For team manager Mohd Yassin Aman, the match starting at 4:15pm will have added importance after the squad saw their perfect start to the season halted with 0-1 defeat to Perlis last week.

“We were all disappointed because we could have walked away with at least a draw but we need to move on from the defeat... we have to focus on the match ahead of us.

“Now we have the chance to make things right and we will do our best against ATM especially when we are playing at home,” he said yesterday.

Yassin went on to say that Junior Rhinos must now try to get the maximum points from their next two games, first against ATM and then Selangor United FC which will also be played here on March 15.

He said the team were set a target of seven points from three matches starting from the Perlis game but now they would have to settle with six points.

“I have confidence in the team to do it,” he said of the Johnny Dominicus-coached side who won their opening three matches againts Kedah 1-0, Pahang 2-1 and Misc-Mifa 2-0.

Meanwhile, Yassin said the head coach will have a full squad to choose from including striker Hamran Peter who missed the Perlis defeat through injury.

Sabah currently lead Group A on nine points from four matches while Johor Darul Takzim III are second on seven points but with a game in hand. Pahang are third also on seven points.

The ATM, on the other hand, have only a single point to show in three matches to occupy the last spot in the 11-team table.

The other Group A fixtures today will see Perlis hosting Malacca, JDT II against Kedah, Pahang to take on Kelantan and Misc-Mifa to meet Selangor.