Kota Kinabalu: Sabah FC survived a Selangor FC siege to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw in the Super League match held at the MBPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya on Saturday.
The home side vying to solidify their grip on second place in the league standings showcased an aggressive strategy right from the kick off, aiming to dominate possession and apply pressure on Sabah FC.
This offensive approach quickly pinned Sabah FC into their own half, forcing them to rely heavily on their defensive capabilities.
The backline was put to the test as they faced a relentless wave of attacks from Selangor FC, spearheaded by skipper Faisal Halim.
The breakthrough came in the 31st minute when Faisal succeeded in executing a curling shot from the edge of the box after Rhinos goalkeeper Damien Lim was caught off his line.
Sabah FC’s response was swift and within three minutes they drew level when Fergus Tierney skilfully manoeuvred past several Selangor FC defenders before lifting the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.
It was a quick counter-attack move started by Gabriel Peres with a defence splitting pass from his own half.
The second half was all Selangor FC as they mounted waves of attacks but were denied by poor finishing.
The match also ended in controversial manner when the referee blew the final whistle with 20 seconds still remaining on the clock to the dismay of the Selangor FC bench.
Rhinos head coach Juan Torres Garrido speaking after the game, expressed his satisfaction with his players’ performance, particularly during the opening 45 minutes.
“Overall, I am very satisfied with the first half display of our players and the one-point earned from this tie.”
He was pleased to see his team respond quickly, after conceding the opening goal from Selangor FC’s first attempt on target.
“We managed to score earlier right after conceding, which was crucial for our morale.”
He admitted that the second half proved to be more difficult as Selangor FC intensified their pressing.
“Although we tried to have more ball possession, we were unable to do so as the players were tired. I am glad the players managed to fight to the very end.”
Meanwhile, Sabah FC remained in 10th position after the draw with 16 points from three wins, seven draws and nine defeats.
Their next game will be the second leg of the MFL Challenge Cup final against Penang FC at Likas Stadium on April 19.
