Junior Rhinos advance stalled

Sabah missed the chance to go on top of the President Cup Group A standing a er Perlis held on for a 0-0 outcome at the Likas Stadium yesterday.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah missed the chance to go on top of the President Cup Group A standing after Perlis held on for a 0-0 outcome at the Likas Stadium yesterday.

The Junior Rhinos, who had Evan Wensley Wenceslaus sent off, created better chances but just could not get their finishing touches right.

It proved to be costly as they lost out on two points which would have sent them to the top after the game between Kedah and Kelantan ended 1-1.

Sabah remained at second, levelled on 31 points with Kedah who continue to lead the 11team Group A via superior goals difference.

The Junior Rhinos, who won nine out of 10 matches in the first round, have not had the best start to the second round fixtures.

The draw yesterday saw them collecting only four points from a possible 12 after losing twice and winning once.

The victory which had come against MISC-MIFA last week should have been good motivation to kick start the second half of the league but poor finishing has cost them dearly.

Striker Arius Dius Jais was presented the first chance for Sabah but he ballooned his effort from six yards out in the sixth minute.

Arius could have made amends just a minute later but he opted to try his luck with a low drive that went wide rather than finding the better positioned and unmarked Mohd Shariman Mukarim.

In the 24th minute, Stanley Sulong, who has been lethal from the wide position this season, also failed to find the back of the net when his shot from inside the box barely missed the target by inches.

Sabah then suffered a huge blow in the fourth minute of the first half injury time when Evan was shown a straight red for elbowing an opponent.

The sending off forced Sabah to play the next 45 minutes with a man down, although they did well to thwart Perlis from getting the winner.

In fact, Sabah could have won the game late on but striker Hamran Peter saw his close range header miss the target after Arius’ cross.

The Junior Rhinos will face consecutive away matches next where the Armed Forces will host them on May 3 and Selangor on May 7.

BLOCKED: Sabah’s Stanley Sulong vies for the ball with the out-of-position Perlis goalkeeper Mohammad Nasharuden Hashim in the President Cup Group A tie at the Likas Stadium yesterday. - Photo courtesy of Freddie A. Jacob.