Cebagoo gunning for upset

New Sabah Times

RAZALI … will be happy with a point.

KOTA KINABALU: Razali Zinin will be happy to settle for a point when they take on high riding Penang on the road in a FAM Cup challenge at the City Stadium today. The Sabah Cebagoo FC head coach said they will go into the tie as the underdogs. But having said that, he added, they will give it a good shot in nicking all the three points.

 “Undoubtedly Penang are the favourites. They have won all their matches, which includes the 7-2 thrashing of PB Melayu Kedah. And we have to be at our best if we are to have any chance against them,” said Razali yesterday. And Razali will be counting on tips from fellow coaches to get the better of Penang, who are coached by its former foreign star signing, Merzagua Abderrazzak.

 “We got many tips and advice from our counterparts (various teams) during a recent coaches briefing and most of them suggested for us to pack the midfield since Penang are good at keeping possession, and can hurt their opponents from there,” he said. Razali then revealed his plan of making yet another formation change, by opting for the 4-5-1 system, as he bids to stop Penang’s domination at the middle of the park.

 On his line up, Razali said that Md Nizam Jifferi and Zain Ambarog would start the match ahead of Mohd Nazmeer Stuh and Hafiz Aldin while Mohd Nazrein Sani is expected to take the place of Adnan Amran. He added that the rest of his starters would include goalkeeper Shairul Boidi, Captain Mohd Reithuddin Emran, Zulfikri Jemai, Abd Thaufiq Abd Hoq, Gerd Smith, Billyton Vun, Md Arifyanshah Jafar and Rainold Masaat.

“We certainly need to lift our level of play and the players too must play with determination and the right attitude,” he said, before adding that “to get even a point from the match would be an achievement for us.” For the record, the season has been pretty much inconsistent for Razali and his boys. They will go into the match at the back of their disappointing home draw against Shahzan Muda FC last Sunday.

 However, they are sitting in a decent fourth placing in the 11-team standings on 12 points from three wins one draw and three defeats, while Penang seem to be in a different class. However, they stay in second on 15 points after registering five wins out of five matches thus far. Penang PBAPP FC lead the standings on 16 points, but they have played a game more than their seniors while ATM Tentera Darat are third on 13 points from four wins, one draw and two defeats.