PETALING JAYA: Selangor will make an early exit from the Malaysia Cup competition unless they get their act right in their remaining Group A fixtures, beginning with the home match against Malacca at the Shah Alam Stadium tonight.
With six matches more to play in the six-team group, Selangor have four points from four matches and they are in fourth place. Leaders Kelantan and Negri, who have played one match more, have 10 points. Third-placed Terengganu have seven points.
The top two teams in the three-group preliminaries and the two best third-placed teams advance to the quarter-finals.
Coach Dollah Salleh said that they had come to a critical point in their campaign.
Kayoed: Selangor’s Mohd Amri Yahyah is out on suspension.“We have to buck up. If we don’t get the desired results against Malacca tomorrow (today), I feel we can close shop for the season,” he said yesterday.
The Red Giants have a target to win a silverware this season and their last chance is in the Malaysia Cup competition. They have failed in the other two competitions, finishing fourth in the Super League and beaten in the FA Cup final by Kedah last month.
Dollah added that it had been tough for them in their Malaysia Cup campaign after going through a hectic schedule of having to play seven competitive matches in 20 days to reach the FA Cup final.
“We are down on our luck with all sorts of problems – injuries and suspensions. Our key players will be called up for national assignments soon. The situation is tough but there is nothing we can do to change it. I just hope we will get good results in remaining matches,” he said.
Midfielder Mohd Amri Yahyah is out on suspension while striker Akmal Rizal Rahli, defenders Shafiq Rahim, Nasriq Baharom and P. Gunalan are all nursing injuries.
Their national Under-23 boys will be reporting for training on Monday while the seniors will check in on July 16. Malaysia have two away friendly internationals – against the Chinese Olympic side (Under-23) on July 13 and the Indian national senior team on July 22.
The Selangor players called up for training are Shafiq Rahim, Mohd Nasriq Baharom, Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal, Mohd Asraruddin Putra (Under-23); Mohd Shukor Adan, Indra Putra Mahayuddin, Mohd Safee Sali and Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal (senior).
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