Threat from the north

By Zainuddin Muhammad | nstsport@nst.com.my

JINXED: Terengganu will tread carefully when up against team rivals Kedah

IT'S not going to be easy for Terengganu to navigate their way out of 'Group of Death' and into the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup.

Drawn in Group B with Super League and FA Cup champions Kelantan, Premier League winners Armed Forces and four-time Malaysia Cup champions Kedah, Terengganu definitely have their work cut out for them, said captain Marzuki Yusof.

The 31-year-old defender, who has been out of action since early this year after undergoing major knee surgery, said the biggest obstacle will be Kedah and not Kelantan or Armed Forces.

"Kelantan are supposed to be the strongest team in the country at the moment while Armed Forces have been impressive in the Premier League with their expensively assembled squad but the truth is, we are not too worried about them," said Marzuki.

"It is Kedah that scare the heck out of many of the players. The fact that they had been relegated and will be playing in the Premier League next season, is really not much of a comfort for us."

Marzuki, who has declared himself fully fit and eager to play again, said it is no secret that Terengganu are "jinxed" against Kedah.

"Some of us may not want to believe it but deep down we all know that we have always been unlucky when we play Kedah, especially in Cup tournaments, no matter where we play.

"Even when they were playing their worst football this year, they beat us 2-1 in Alor Star in June and then secured a 1-1 draw here."

The captain admitted, given a choice, he and most of his teammates would prefer to avoid Kedah in the preliminary round.

"We have no problem playing neighbours Kelantan anytime, anywhere as we have a decent record against them in the past few years.

"We do not play the Armed Forces often but judging by our last match against them in the FA Cup, we should not have too much problem against them."

"Their relegation to the Premier League means they are now down on their luck and perhaps this is the right time for us to break the jinx," said Marzuki.

Terengganu captain Marzuki Yusof is all charged up to end his team’s poor form against Kedah.

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Threat from the north

JINXED: Terengganu will tread carefully when up against team rivals Kedah

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