SHAH ALAM, Feb 26 — Selangor FC must avoid careless mistakes and score as many goals as they can on home turf in the Malaysian Cup semi-final match, said squad captain Faisal Halim.
He said that the team is ready to face Kuching City FC in the semi-final, which will be played on home turf before the away match in Sarawak.
“All players are ready to face the Malaysian Cup. Easy mistakes must be avoided. Focus and high-discipline play are needed throughout the match.
“Our Malaysian Cup play has two matches: home and away, so it’s important to score on home turf.
“If we don’t score, it would pressure and inconvenience the team,” he told Media Selangor.
Selangor FC is on the hunt for its 34th Malaysian Cup title. It entered the semi-finals by thrashing Negeri Sembilan FC 5-1 in the quarter-final last month.
The result put Kim Pan Gon’s boys at a 6-1 aggregate after a narrow win in the first quarter-final in Paroi, Negeri Sembilan, the previous week.
Selangor will face Kuching City FC in the semi-final after the Sarawakians defeated DPMM FC 6-2 on aggregate thanks to their 3-1 victory at the Sarawak Stadium.
The semi-final home and away matches are expected next month and in April.
Meanwhile, Pan Gon’s presence as Selangor FC head coach since January has been a boon for the squad, which is currently enjoying a 10-match victory streak (eight wins, two draws) this season.
Assistant coach Shahrom Kalam said the South Korean handler understands the local league culture and players’ mentality, which makes him an asset to the team.
“Pan Gon has changed many things with his approach and pushed the team to do their best. Hopefully the players stay consistent,” Shahrom told Media Selangor.
He said the head coach emphasises the shaping of a team identity with a focus on each player’s weaknesses and strengths, without thinking too much about rival teams.
Selangor FC is now on the second rung of the Super League and could play on the Asian stage next season, as well as proceed to the Malaysian Cup and ASEAN Championship Club semi-finals.
Pan Gon previously shared his vision to create a “Selangor culture” where the state squad remains invincible on home turf.
“No one coming to our house can taste victory. If they come into our house, we will ‘kill’ them.
“This is the culture we want to shape and the players are already feeling it. We hope Red Giants fans are happy, fill the stadium, and support SFC’s future,” Pan Gon had said.
