Bruised Rhinos ready to endure another bruising tie in JDT clash
PETALING JAYA: Deal with the pain, and we will see the gains.
Sabah midfielder Baddrol Bakhtiar believes that’s the motto that will get the Rhinos running tirelessly against Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in their first-leg Malaysia Cup semi-final at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu today.
And the 34-year-old captain is no stranger to pain after their painful 2-1 quarter-final aggregate win over Kuching City, which left many of coach Ong Kim Swee’s charges bruised or injured.
Baddrol also suffered a thigh strain in the second leg of that bruising tie but the condition will not distract his focus in the JDT match.
“Our preparations have been affected a bit due to the knocks and injuries we suffered. After the last game, players like Jai (Rizal Ghazali), Dominic (Tan) and even me had to go to the treatment room,” said the former Kedah stalwart.
“But for the game against JDT, we have to put aside our injury concerns. We’ll play on despite the pain and try to make the fans proud.
“I always tell the boys to stay positive in every game despite the setbacks. If we see every problem as an obstacle, we’ll never move forward. So just go with the flow and play our game, and we’ll see the results.”
Kim Swee surely can’t do without Baddrol for the JDT game, as he has been playing in a vital position where the regulars have been sidelined by injuries.
With Guinea-bissau hitman Jose Embalo still recovering and youngster Azhad Harraz Arman lacking experience, Baddrol has been used as a striker in Sabah’s Malaysia Cup campaign so far.
He has not only scored twice in four games but his clever play up front has also created space for other attackers like Taiki Kagayama and Saddil Ramdani to create problems for the opposition.
‘’Our import strikers have been injured throughout the year, so when the coach told me to play as a striker, I took that as a challenge and a responsibility as I’m the team captain,’’ added Baddrol.