Saturday, 19 March 2011

Seladang expect backlash from Turtles

BY RONNIE OH

GEORGE TOWN: High-riding Perak will tread warily when they take on Terengganu in tonight’s FA Cup quarter-final return leg at the Sultan Ismail Stadium in Kuala Terengganu.

The Seladang, riding on a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions, know only too well that their 3-2 win in the first leg at home on Tuesday is not a comforting factor.

And Perak coach Norizan Bakar has warned his players to expect a backlash from the Turtles.

“We may be in the lead, but the slender one-goal advantage may not be enough if the away goals rule are to be taken into consideration,” said Norizan in a telephone interview from Ipoh yesterday.


Clinical finishing: Perak’s Akmal Rizal Rakhli (left) scoring the third goal against Terengganu in their FA Cup quarter-final first-leg match in Ipoh on Tuesday. — Bernama

“It is going to be a very tough outing and we surely need to stay focused and committed if we hope to clear this hurdle.”

Norizan said the 93rd minute goal by Reeshafiq Alwi in the first leg when Perak were leading 3-1 could prove to be costly.

Terengganu coach Irfan Bakti also believes that Resshafiq’s goal could be the telling factor in the Turtles’ hopes of advancing further in their FA Cup campaign.

“We would have a mountain to climb if we had returned from Ipoh with a two-goal deficit,” said Irfan, when contacted in Kuala Terengganu yesterday.

“But Reeshafiq’s last-gasp goal revived out chances. Now, it is up to us to complete the job and utilise the chances created and not muff them as we did in Ipoh.”

Irfan’s confidence is further boosted with the return of his skipper Mohd Marzuki Yusof, who is said to have recovered sufficiently from a muscular problem which kept him out of their last Super League clash against Kedah last Saturday and Tuesday’s first-leg FA Cup assignment in Ipoh.

In contrast, Perak will have to do without Muhd Arif Ismail, who has to serve a one-match ban after picking up his second booking on Tuesday.

But with coaches Norizan and Irfan noted for their shrewdness in plotting their strategies, an explosive clash is on the cards tonight.

Sumber: The Star 19 Mac 2011

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