Aiman Nazirmuddin
Football Tribe Malaysia
Despite struggling in the Super League relegation zone this season, FELDA United FC remain optimistic in the FA Cup semi-final against Kedah on Sunday.
After losing 0-1 to Kedah in the first semi-final of the cup in Alor Setar last June 22, the away defeat did not erase the dream of pulling off a repeat of their final appearance back in 2014.
Felda coach, Mohd Nidzam Jamil, acknowledged that the squad will need to improve on their performance from the first leg and perform well above their normal levels to seal progression to the final, stressing that the side are in need of high commitment from the players.
“Right now, both competitions – the Super League and FA Cup – need FELDA United to work hard to fulfill their mission.
“When we are in the semi-finals, we can not give the opponent a chance because we have [conceded] in the first leg,” he said.
Hence, Mohd Nidzam wants his players to forget about the Super League for a while because the FA Cup semi-final action is also important to assess the team’s performance.
Despite trailing on aggregate, he believes that his side are not yet out of the competition and has faith that the side can overturn this unfavorable result with the remaining 90 minutes of football left to play.
“Playing at Tun Abdul Razak Stadium this Sunday is an advantage to us, and will help us record a win and seal our place in the final,” he said.