Recharged for restart
Da Sylva puts personal goals aside to lift Turtles
PETALING JAYA: Terengganu hotshot striker Dominique Da Sylva has downplayed his scoring prowess with the east coast side.
The Mauritanian hit a brace in the 31st and 72nd minutes as the Turtles beat Petaling Jaya City 2-0 in their suspended Super League clash at the Petaling Jaya Stadium on Saturday.
The 31-years-old’s strikes bring his goal tally to six goals in four matches. Their second win after four matches propelled them to third place in the 12-team table with seven points.
Da Sylva got his first after intercepting a poor back pass from Mahali Jasuli, his second was a cheeky lob over PJ City goalkeeper Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed.
The much travelled striker said he was just focused on getting full points and not chasing personal goals.
“I’m just playing my game, helping my team. The coach knows me and my character. It’s not easy to return to action after a five-month layoff.
“We played our best and got the three points ... that’s more important,” said Da Sylva.
Da Sylva admitted the absence of fans made the match less exciting but he understands that the public’s safety is of utmost importance.
“I’m happy with the restart as football is our life. The absence of fans is something we can’t do anything about.
“It’s very strange without them because when they shout and cheer it affects us. They motivate us to push on when we’re tired, get us to focus when we lose concentration.
“We have lost this atmosphere but they are in our hearts when we play. I know they still watch our games, so we’ll give our best for them. I hope they’re satisfied with the three points.”