PETALING JAYA, Feb 23 — PDRM FC assistant coach Eddy Gapil admitted that his team faced various challenges which affected their performance in the second leg final of the 2024/2025 Challenge Cup, ultimately failing to defend the last season’s championship title.
Among the main issues was the absence of the head coach and an unexpected disciplinary sanction ahead of the second leg final. The situation worsened when Muhammad Eizrul Ashraf Nor Effendy was shown a red card as early as the 22nd minute, disrupting the Cops’ game rhythm and significantly affecting the players’ morale.
"We could not field a full squad due to an injury to Ifedayo Olusegun, which caused a noticeable weakness in midfield and attack. In addition, we were punished with two early goals within 10 minutes, and the red card truly killed the spirit of the PDRM players.
"I only had two days to prepare the team and continue with what was planned by the head coach, as there was not enough time to change strategies," he said during the post-match press conference after the second leg final, where PDRM FC lost to Selangor FC with a 0-7 aggregate at the MBPJ Stadium yesterday.
It is understood that PDRM FC head coach P. Maniam was relieved of his duties a day before the final match following a statement issued by the Malaysian Football League (MFL).
The statement announced that the Football Association of Malaysia Disciplinary Committee had imposed a sanction on PDRM FC after being found guilty of fielding an ineligible player in the first leg final of the 2024-2025 Challenge Cup against Selangor FC at the MBPJ Stadium on February 15.
The MFL said that as a result, PDRM FC was stripped of the match and considered to have lost by a 3-0 scoreline while also being fined RM3,000.
The Challenge Cup was introduced by the MFL in 2018, with Terengganu FC II winning the inaugural edition, followed by Johor Darul Ta’zim II (2019) and PDRM FC in 2023. The Covid-19 pandemic threw a spanner in the works from 2020 to 2022.
— Bernama
