Kota Kinabalu: Sabah FC are facing a tough task in the Super League ‘Borneo Derby’ tie against Kuching City FC at the State Stadium tonight (Saturday).
Their hopes for redemption following the earlier 0-1 home loss against the same rivals may be hampered by their recent average performances.
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However, newly appointed head coach Juan Torres Garrido
(pic), who is still seeking a win under his reign after two matches, is determined for a turnaround.
“We are hoping for a bounce back despite facing a tight match schedule and several key players still recovering from injuries.
“As a result, several players need to shoulder greater responsibility as they have to play the full 90 minutes in two matches every week, including away matches,” he said.
He added that with limited training sessions due to a rigorous schedule, player recovery has become a priority.
“The team is showing improvement every day. The most important thing right now is to ensure that the players recover physically well even though training sessions are quite limited due to the tight schedule.
“However, I am very happy with the attitude and commitment shown by the players ahead of this match.
“From the beginning, our objective is to ensure that no team could beat us easily and this match will definitely be tough because we are up against a strong team and playing away.”
He also hoped the great rivalry between Sabah and Sarawak in another Borneo Derby will bring an extra dose of motivation for the Rhinos.
“This is a match that everyone wants to play. It motivates the team,” he said.
