Aiman Nazirmuddin
Football Tribe Malaysia
Pahang manager Dollah Salleh does not want his men to be comfortable despite having secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup. On the other hand, the former National Team player hopes the Tok Gajah squad will maintain their consistent form in the remaining two group games.
“I am delighted that the mission to qualify for the quarterfinals came true. This early success has proven the dedication of the players to put the team at their best. Therefore, I hope the players will be able to maintain this performance after the Malaysian Cup rests for about three weeks,” he said.
Commenting on the 1-0 victory over Sabah last night, Dollah admitted his feeling that the squad was not playing well, especially in the first half.
Elsewhere, a Group C clash between Penang and Perak at the City Stadium was allegedly tainted by incidents of backlash from supporters of both sides. Based on a video that has been trending on social media since yesterday, a riot broke out in the stadium with some supporters of both teams being seen throwing objects at and provoking each other.
In terms of the action on the pitch, Penang coach Manzoor Azwira Abdul Wahid remains thankful despite his side only held by a 1-1 draw with Perak.
“Our goal is to earn three points to make it easier to qualify for the quarter-finals. But this is football and it’s not easy to face Perak, who is the winner of the 2018 Malaysia Cup,” he said after the game. “Congratulations to my players for their great motivation and thanks to the supporters who came down to the stadium for their support.”
The result saw Penang remain third in the group and share five points with Perak, thus occupying second place.
Meanwhile, Perak coach Mehmet Durakovic was also pleased with the performance of his player who stole a point in Penang’s home.
“We controlled the game in the first half and we only made one mistake that saw Penang score a goal. But overall, we played our game,” he said. “I am satisfied, but in the Malaysian Cup competition, all teams are able to compete. So it is not easy.”
After the international break, the Malaysia Cup will return to action on the 13th of September for Matchday 5 of the Group Stages.