PETALING JAYA: Kelantan are just a match away from bagging their first-ever Super League crown.
The Red Warriors, who won the Malaysia Cup last year – the first time since the tournament began as the Malaya Cup in 1921, need either a win or a draw against Sabah at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu tonight to be crowned Super League champions.
League leaders Kelantan have 53 points after 25 matches – just two ahead of Selangor, who take on Perak at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh.
Should both Kelantan and Selangor falter, third-placed Terengganu (50 points) could pip them to the title. But the Turtles would need to score more than six goals against Felda United to achieve it!
Kelantan coach Datuk M. Karathu believes “the title is ours to lose”.
“We should have been crowned champions a long time ago. We had it in the bag all the while but we blew our chances. Now, we have one final chance to seal it,” said Karathu yesterday.
However, this could be easier said than done because Sabah are tough customers at home.
In fact, Sabah even held Kelantan to a draw in Kota Baru this season.
But Sabah is the least of Karathu’s worries.
The coach is just as concerned about his players’ condition following the three-week break for the national teams’ campaigns in the pre-World Cup and Olympic qualifying rounds.
“Three weeks is a long time and we only played friendly matches with club sides. It does not show our true competitive form but that is the challenge ahead of us now. We can’t afford any more mistakes as this (the match against Sabah) is the last game of the season – it is make-or-break time,” said Karathu, who will welcome back his five national players.
Karathu must have been pleased to see top striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha return to action against Taiwan in the Asian Zone World Cup first round second-leg qualifying match in Taipei on Sunday. It was Norshahrul’s first competitive match since injuring his hamstring during a Super League tie against T-Team on June 14.
Norshahrul is the leading candidate for the Golden Boot award with 17 goals – one ahead of Terengganu’s Abdul Hadi Yahaya.
Nippy Nurul Azwan Roya will be the notable absentee in the Kelantan squad as he will be out on suspension after picking up three yellow cards.
While Kelantan, Selangor and, to a lesser extent, Terengganu fight for glory, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur will be battling for Super League survival.
The two teams will be hoping to avoid joining bottom-placed Perlis in the Premier League next season.
Pahang, with 22 points, welcome Kedah to the Darulmakmur Stadium in Kuantan while the City boys, on 23 points, will travel to Kuala Terengganu to take on T-Team.
The Red Warriors, who won the Malaysia Cup last year – the first time since the tournament began as the Malaya Cup in 1921, need either a win or a draw against Sabah at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu tonight to be crowned Super League champions.
League leaders Kelantan have 53 points after 25 matches – just two ahead of Selangor, who take on Perak at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh.
Should both Kelantan and Selangor falter, third-placed Terengganu (50 points) could pip them to the title. But the Turtles would need to score more than six goals against Felda United to achieve it!
Kelantan coach Datuk M. Karathu believes “the title is ours to lose”.
“We should have been crowned champions a long time ago. We had it in the bag all the while but we blew our chances. Now, we have one final chance to seal it,” said Karathu yesterday.
However, this could be easier said than done because Sabah are tough customers at home.
In fact, Sabah even held Kelantan to a draw in Kota Baru this season.
But Sabah is the least of Karathu’s worries.
The coach is just as concerned about his players’ condition following the three-week break for the national teams’ campaigns in the pre-World Cup and Olympic qualifying rounds.
“Three weeks is a long time and we only played friendly matches with club sides. It does not show our true competitive form but that is the challenge ahead of us now. We can’t afford any more mistakes as this (the match against Sabah) is the last game of the season – it is make-or-break time,” said Karathu, who will welcome back his five national players.
Karathu must have been pleased to see top striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha return to action against Taiwan in the Asian Zone World Cup first round second-leg qualifying match in Taipei on Sunday. It was Norshahrul’s first competitive match since injuring his hamstring during a Super League tie against T-Team on June 14.
Norshahrul is the leading candidate for the Golden Boot award with 17 goals – one ahead of Terengganu’s Abdul Hadi Yahaya.
Nippy Nurul Azwan Roya will be the notable absentee in the Kelantan squad as he will be out on suspension after picking up three yellow cards.
While Kelantan, Selangor and, to a lesser extent, Terengganu fight for glory, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur will be battling for Super League survival.
The two teams will be hoping to avoid joining bottom-placed Perlis in the Premier League next season.
Pahang, with 22 points, welcome Kedah to the Darulmakmur Stadium in Kuantan while the City boys, on 23 points, will travel to Kuala Terengganu to take on T-Team.
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