Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

NST Online: Sports

Football / Malaysia Cup: Terengganu have become a class act

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:52 AM PDT

2011/10/29
Devinder Singh
devinder@nst.com.my

Abdul Hadi Yahya (Terengganu)

IT has been a long time coming and the time is nigh for Terengganu to stamp their authority on the local football scene.

Having built one of the strongest squads in Terengganu's history, coach Irfan Bakti Abu Salim stands on the cusp of emulating the Malaysia Cup triumph of Mat Zan Mat Aris in 2001, the only time the East Coast state have won Malaysian football most prestigious honour.

Irfan has formed a talented and consistent team that have already reaped their rewards with the FA Cup final win over Kelantan earlier this year.

Testament to Terengganu's strength is the fact that seven of their players have been called up by national coach K. Rajagobal for two friendly matches against India next month.

In Ashaari Samsudin and Manaf Mamat, Terengganu possess two exciting forwards who clearly know where the back of the net is, having scored five and six goals respectively in this competition.

Super League top scorer Hadi Yahya has yet to find the mark in the Malaysia Cup but that does not mean the striker should be counted out as he remains a vital cog in the Terengganu machinery and is more than capable of adding to his tally of 26 goals for state and country this season.

Reeshafiq Alwi is the unsung hero in midfield who is a constant thorn to opposing teams, quietly stamping his authority while providing sufficient cover for his defence and allowing Joseph Kalang Tie the freedom to carve apart opposing defences with his crafty skills.

The player who began his career under Mat Zan at Kuala Lumpur and later KL Plus, has blossomed under Irfan's guidance and but for the presence of talent elsewhere, should have found his way into the national set up.

Goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee Ramli has copped some flak for his performance with the national team but there is no doubt he has been instrumental in Terengganu's run to the final.

Nowhere was this more apparent than in the 5-3 aggregate quarter-final victory over Kelantan or the double over Selangor in the semi-finals when a string of fine saves kept his team in the ascendancy.

Central defender Mazuki Yusof provides the leadership and experience in the team, which has been crucial in a defence that boast relatively young players in Faizal Muhammad, Zubir Azmi and Mazlizam Mohamad.

Terengganu's 2-1 win over Perak in the 2001 final remains their greatest achievement yet but the class of 2011 will surpass anything they have done in the past should they hold aloft the trophy on tonight at the Shah Alam Stadium.

Probable line-up

Goalkeeper: Sharbinee Allawee Ramli:
Defenders: Faizal Muhammad, Mazlizam Mohammad, Mazuki Yusof, Zubir Azmi
Midfielders: Joseph Kallang Tie, Reeshafiq Alwi, Ismail Faruqi Ashaari, Ashaari Samsuddin
Strikers: Abdul Hadi Yahya, Abdul Manaf Mamat
Coach: Irfan Bakti
Manager: Datuk Che Mat Jusoh

Team's leading scorers
24 (goals): Abdul Hadi Yahya
21: Manaf Mamat
19: Ashaari Samsuddin

TERENGGANU (Group B)

Beat Sime Darby 3-0 (away)
Beat PKNS 3-0 (home)
Lost to Negri Sembilan 0-1 (away)
Beat Sime Darby 1-0 (home)
Beat PKNS 1-0 (away)
Drew Negri 0-0 (home)
QF 1st leg: Beat Kelantan 3-1 (home)
QF 2nd leg: Drew Kelantan 2-2 (away)
SF 1st leg: Beat Selangor 2-0 (away)
SF 2nd leg: Beat Selangor 2-1 (home)

HISTORY

Champions (2001),
Runners-up (1973, 1982, 1998)

PAST 10 MEETINGS

2011 Malaysia Cup: Terengganu 0 Negri 0
2011 Malaysia Cup: Negri 1 Terengganu 0
2011 Super League: Terengganu 3 Negri 0
2011 Super League: Negri 1 Terengganu 1
2010 Super League: Terengganu 1 Negri 1
2010 Super League: Negri 2 Terengganu 1
2009 Malaysia Cup: Terengganu 1 Negri 3
2009 Malaysia Cup: Negri 1 Terengganu 0
2009 Malaysia Cup: Negri 2 Terengganu 0
2009 Malaysia Cup: Terengganu 0 Negri 1

Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

Football / Malaysia Cup: Negri believe in themselves again

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:44 AM PDT

2011/10/29
Ajitpal Singh
ajitpalsingh@nst.com.my

NEGRI Sembilan faced some difficult moments this season in terms of injuries, controversies and adversities. But they withstood every test bravely to reach their third successive Malaysia Cup final.

Former national Under-21 coach Azraai Khor Abdullah, who took over from Wan Jamak Wan Hassan, in April, had the near impossible task of toughening up a bunch of unmotivated players but despite the odds, the 59-year-old managed to turn them into a winning side.

Azraai first helped the team avoid relegation as they moved up four rungs from 12th position in the Super League.

It was tough then as Azraai had to dig deep to even name 18 fit players for Super League matches as many were injured. In some games, he had to resort to using Negri's President Cup players in his line-up.

The break before the Malaysia Cup, however, helped in Negri's recovery as the injured key players soon returned to full fitness and at the same time, Azraai used the opportunity to make tactical changes.

Negri's resurrection began at the start of the Malaysia Cup, when they edged Terengganu, PKNS and Sime Darby to top Group B to advance to the quarter-finals.

Attacking midfielder Shahurain Abu Samah and veteran Hairuddin Omar have been instrumental and with 13 goals between them in the Malaysia Cup, they will be the ones to watch in the final.

Shahurain and Hairuddin have personal ambitions in today's final — both want to score for the third successive time in a Malaysia Cup final.

For the record, they scored three goals in Negri's 3-1 win over Kelantan in the 2009 final.

And in last year's final, both players scored again but this time Hairuddin did it for Kelantan to help the east coast side edge Negri 2-1.

Negri, who are the underdogs, are expected to take a cautious approach against a formidable Terengganu's strike force.

However, contrary to popular belief, Terengganu are not unbeatable, and it is unwise for anyone to write off Negri before a single ball has been kicked.
Sure, this is the biggest test of the season by far, but don't think for a second that Negri will be lacking in readiness and in belief.

This is normally the part where I'd insert a prediction, but there won't be one. Instead, I'll close with five simple words, and you can make of it what you will: Champions aren't crowned on paper.

Probable line-up

Goalkeeper: Farizal Marlias
Defenders: Norhafiz Zamani Misbah, Aidil Zafuan Abd Radzak, Irwan Fadzli Idrus, Mohd Alif Samsudin
Midfielders: S. Kunanlan, Shukur Adan, Idris Karim, Shahurain Abu Samah
Strikers: Hairuddin Omar, Mohd Firdaus Azizul
Coach: Azraai Khor Abdullah
Manager: Abdul Halim Abd Latif

Team's leading scorers
11 (goals): Hairuddin Omar
10: Shahurain Abu Samah
8: Firdaus Azizul

NEGRI SEMBILAN (Group B)

Beat PKNS 2-1 (away)
Beat Sime Darby 5-0 (home)
Beat Terengganu 1-0 (home)
Lost to PKNS 0-2 (home)
Beat Sime Darby 2-1 (away)
Drew Terengganu 0-0 (away)
QF 1st leg: Lost to Felda United 0-1 (away)
QF 2nd leg: Beat Felda United 3-0, aet (home)
SF 1st leg: Beat T-Team 4-2 (away)
SF 2nd leg: Beat T-Team 2-1 (home)

HISTORY

Champions (1948, 2009),
Runners-up: (2000, 2006, 2010)

PAST 10 MEETINGS

Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Jumaat, 28 Oktober 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan