Kelantan's preoccupation with securing the release of Olympic squad goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat should not detract their mission to retain the Malaysia Cup, which gets underway in earnest today.
The defending champions will kick off the Group C tie against Sarawak at the State Stadium in Kuching with Shahrizan Ismail in goal after national Olympic coach Ong Kim Swee quickly shot down Kelantan's request for Fahmi.
The Olympic team, preparing for an Asian third round Group A qualifier against Japan on Sept 21, have six players from Malaysia Cup sides in the squad including Kelantan duo Fahmi and striker Izuan Solahuddin.
The Olympic team, preparing for an Asian third round Group A qualifier against Japan on Sept 21, have six players from Malaysia Cup sides in the squad including Kelantan duo Fahmi and striker Izuan Solahuddin.
Not that it should matter as Kelantan have a formidable squad strengthened by the loan signings of Azamuddin Akil and Surendran Rasiah from Pahang in an attempt to make a third straight Malaysia Cup final.
Badhri Radzi and Shakir Shaari, ably supported by winger Nurul Azuan Roya, form a potent midfield combination while in S. Subramaniam and Farisham Ismail, they have a sturdy defence capable of rising to any challenge.
Azamuddin has settled in well with Super League champions Kelantan, resuming his partnership with Norshahrul Idlan Talaha from their days together with UPB-MyTeam in 2009.
Azamuddin has settled in well with Super League champions Kelantan, resuming his partnership with Norshahrul Idlan Talaha from their days together with UPB-MyTeam in 2009.
With Terengganu, Negri Sembilan and Selangor certain to challenge Kelantan strongly for the title, Azamuddin and Norshahrul will have to hit the ground running for Kelantan to sow fear into the opposition, if they had not already.
"Azamuddin has done well in the friendly matches we have played and has adapted well even when playing as a lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation," Kelantan coach M. Karathu told kelate.net.
"He has been able to form a good combination with Norshahrul and Badhri. I hope he retains his goal-scoring touch," said Karathu after watching Azamuddin score in friendly wins against Kuala Lumpur (5-0) and Kuala Terengganu T-Team (3-1) recently.
Premier League runners-up Sarawak, coached by Robert Alberts, could not have asked for a more difficult opponent to start their campaign.
"For our level from the Premier League to play against Kelantan champions of Super League, we are ready. We look forward to the match," the Dutchman told the Borneo Post.
Selangor, after watching the League title slip away from their grasp, bid to win the Malaysia Cup for the first time since 2005 when they take on T-Team, who won both their league meetings this season, in Kuala Terengganu.
FA Cup winners Terengganu have an injury doubt over midfielder Ismail Faruqi Ashari ahead of their trip to Petaling Jaya to play Sime Darby, who should not be under-estimated after ousting Pahang 6-0 on aggregate in a playoff,
Cup specialists Negri hope to put a poor League campaign behind them when they start afresh against Premier League champions PKNS in Petaling Jaya while Kedah too aim for a winning start against Johor at Larkin.
Perak travel to Kota Kinabalu to face Sabah in a Group A match without five key players, who will miss the entire group stage after being handed seven-match bans by the FA of Malaysia for accosting the referee after a 1-1 Super League draw with Sabah in Lumut on May 19.
Skipper Shahrulnizam Mustapa, striker Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli, goalkeeper Nasril Nourdin, Syazwan Roslan and Azmeer Yusof missed Perak's final league game, a 0-0 draw with Selangor, and will only see action in the Malaysia Cup if the team make the quarter-finals.
Coach Norizan Bakar, however, has brought defender Hafiszuan Salehuddin (Perlis), striker Failee Ghazli (USM) and Rafiuddin Roddin (Young Tigers A) on loan to compensate for the absence of the suspended five.
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