SHAH ALAM: PKNS FC may be down, but don’t count them out just yet.
These are the resilient words of PKNS FC coach K. Rajagobal after watching his 10-man team lose 3-1 to four-time FA Cup champions Kedah in the first-leg of the quarter-finals at the Shah Alam Stadium yesterday (Tuesday).
He is confident they can pull off a surprise when they travel to the Darul Aman Stadium in Alor Star for the return leg, based on the way his team fought back to score a goal despite being a man down.
“That’s why I am confident we can surprise Kedah at their home ground. But it won’t be easy as they have good players too,” he said during the post-match press conference.
“Then again the Kedah players will be under pressure too as they will be playing in front of their own demanding fans. I want our players to forget about the first-leg loss and just go to Alor Star and give it their all.”
In yesterday’s (Tuesday) match, Kedah opened accounts in the 13th minute through Fernando Ortega before Jonatan Bauman added the second from the penalty spot 12 minutes later.
Things got worse for PKNS FC when Tamirlan Kozubaev was sent off in the 30th minute for a foul on Farhan Roslan.
Kedah made their numerical advantage count when Bauman again beat PKNS goalkeeper Zarif Irfan Hashimuddin with a powerful shot at the stroke of half time.
PKNS came back after the breather refreshed and, despite being a man down, got a goal back through Gabriel Guerra in the 64th minute. Bernama