Kota Kinabalu: Just four days after celebrating their success in the MFL Challenge Cup, Sabah FC faced a disappointing league defeat at the hands of Melaka FC, losing 0-1 at the Hang Jebat Stadium on Thursday.
Despite missing several first team players including skipper Domimic Tan and Darren Lok in the starting line-up, Sabah FC started well and created a couple of good opportunities in the opening half.
Ernesto Amantegui had a promising opportunity in the 10th minute as he broke through the defence, only to be let down by a tame shot with his weaker right foot, which failed to test Melaka FC’s goalkeeper Samuel Somervilee.
Another opportunity fell to striker Chris Marlon Ondong Mba in the 33rd minute, and again Somerville was quick to throw his body to block the shot.
Sabah FC maintained their momentum with an aggressive approach in the second half of the match, nearly taking the lead in the 65th minute when a powerful shot from substitute Fergus Tierney rattled the post.
It was a costly miss as three minutes later, the home side made the breakthrough when goalkeeper Damien Lim, who had made some decent saves earlier, allowed a shot by Dino Kalesic to slip through his legs in the 68th minute.
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Sabah FC piled on the pressure after the setback but were unable to find the target until the final whistle.
The defeat also saw Sabah FC drop one place to 11th in the table standing with 16 points from three wins, seven draws and 10 losses.
With only four matches left in the season, Sabah FC will next play Penang FC away on Sunday (April 26) followed by a home tie against PDRM on May 2, away to Brunei DPMM on May 9, before the final match at home to Terengganu FC on May 15.
