Kota Kinabalu: Sabah FC thrashed PDRM FC 5-1 in the Super League match at the Likas Stadium on Saturday.
This much anticipated league win was the team’s first in the new year after nine matches as their last victory was in December last year against Terengganu FC.
Against the bottom team with only one import player in the line-up on Saturday, Sabah FC dominated the game right from the start and Duje Ljubic had the first look at goal in the seventh minute but fired just over the bar.
Fergus Tierney put the team ahead in the 17th minute with a well worked team goal started by Darren Lok in his own half before he passed the ball to Kervens Fils Belfort, who then laid the ball to Tierney to fire home.
Belfort then doubled the lead in the 41st minute with a first-time volley after the PDRM defence failed to clear the ball in the box.
Ljubic made up for his earlier miss to give Sabah FC a three-goal advantage in first half stoppage time when he drove home from close range from a through ball by Dinesh Rajasingam.
A lapse in concentration after the restart saw the visitors pull one back through the unmarked Mohamad Aiman Sufi Radzai in the 51st minute.
However, Sabah FC were able to regain their three-goal advantage six minutes later, when Tierney displayed exceptional skill as he zig-zagged past three defenders before laying the ball to Lok, who comfortably tapped in from three yards out.
Tierney then capped off an incredible performance with the fifth goal in the dying minutes after the PDRM defence was unable to clear the cross delivered by Farhan Roslan.
Despite the win, Sabah FC remained in 10th place in the standings with 20 points from four wins, eight draws and 10 defeats.
They will next take on Brunei DPMM on May 9 before ending the season with a home tie against Terengganu FC on May 13.
