Kelantan fans set to invade Shah Alam

PETALING JAYA: Kelantan fans are set to paint the town red!

Fans of the Red Warriors are ready to “invade” the capital to catch their team’s Malaysia Cup final against Armed Forces at the Shah Alam Stadium today. More than 100 buses, ferrying about 4,000 supporters, left Kota Baru and other districts yesterday en route to Shah Alam.

The 80,000-capacity stadium is set to be a sea of red as the Kelantan fans have snapped up more than two-thirds of the 60,000 tickets put on sale. Forces are said to have only managed to sell 10,000.

This is Kelantan’s second final in five months. In May, Kelantan fans again outnumbered their FA Cup final rivals, Sime Darby FC, at the 80,000capacity National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. The Red Warriors won 1-0.

About 90% of the stadium was filled with Kelantan fans, who even snapped up the seats reserved for the plantations giants’ supporters.

“Football is not about the game alone. The fans too play a major role in bringing added excitement to the game. The atmosphere is going to be great with Kelantan in the final again,” said Red Warriors official fan club president Mohd Yahya Jamada Ali.

Kelantan have been a dominant force in Malaysian football of late – this is their sixth final since 2009.

In 2009, they finished runners-up in the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup competitions. The following year, Kelantan made history when they won the Malaysia Cup for the first time since 1921.

Lastyear, the fans went home disappointed after Kelantan lost 2-1 to Terengganu in the FACup final.