M3 League clubs Langkawi City and BRM Kuala Kangsar face the biggest day in each club's short history this weekend when they take on Malaysia Cup holders Kuala Lumpur City and eight-time Super League champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) respectively in the first round of the FA Cup.
The FA Cup returns with third-tier M3 League clubs taking centre-stage against higher-ranked opposition after being cancelled following the first round in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and not held last year.
The stage does not get any bigger than what Langkawi and BRM will be faced with in their rare moment in the spotlight.
For Langkawi, there is unfinished FA Cup business for the club, formerly known as Glory United, as they reached the second round in 2020 where they were due to face Melaka United only for the tournament to be cancelled.
This will be their second appearance in the main draw, not counting their qualifying round exit in 2019, but coach Ghani Long is aware of the task awaiting them when they face KL in Cheras on Sunday in their first meeting with a top-flight club.
"We know we are going to face the Malaysia Cup champions, and this is a rare opportunity for the players to show what they can do.
"We are going to try our best to match them and play without fear," said Langkawi-born Ghani, who coached Kuala Muda Naza when they were in the Premier League in 2007.
Not having any foreign players places Langkawi at a disadvantage as well as facing KL in Cheras where the Super League side has not lost in 22 matches since 2019.
But Langkawi too are on a six-match unbeaten run going back to the 2020 truncated season after beginning the 2022 M3 Group A campaign by beating Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan 2-0 and holding Ultimate 0-0 in heavy rain in Serdang on Saturday.
"We have started the season well despite yet to play at home. The heavy rain made it difficult on Saturday, but we still created a few chances which we couldn't finish," said Ghani, who can count on former Malaysia youth international Shahrul Akmal Adnan, ex-Penang midfielder Syukur Saidin and former KL youth players Afzal Nazri and Mazlan Yahya to provide the experience when facing KL.
BRM, coached by Ahmad Fairuz Yunus with the likes of seasoned pros Ahmad Fakri Saarani, Azmeer Yusof, Fitri Omar and Kamarul Efandi Rahim in their ranks, will be making a dream main draw FA Cup debut against JDT after beating Tun Razak City 2-1 in Sunday's qualifying round in Manjung.
Despite not having Fakri available due to an injury, Khairul Asyraf Sahizah secured BRM's spot with the winner six minutes from time after also scoring their 31st-minute equaliser to cancel Shafiq Shaharudin's fifth-minute strike for Tun Razak.
Fairuz said playing JDT at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri will be the highlight of his players' football careers.
"You can't compare us with JDT as they are in a different class with experienced players. But anything can happen in football and I will tell my players to fight for every ball and play our normal game," said Fairuz, a two-time FA Cup winner as a player with KL in 1993 and 1994.
In another qualifying match, Saiful Basir's late winner in extra-time gave Bukit Tambun a 2-1 win over Immigration in Batu Kawan to book a first-round derby date with Penang.
Meanwhile, Tok Janggut Warriors stunned KL Rovers 2-1 in Kubang Kerian for their first win in Group B of the M3 League as Redzuan Rusli and Khairul Izuan Rosli were on target after the visitors went ahead through Nur Iqmal Harun.
RESULTS
M3 League: Group A — Ultimate 0 Langkawi City 0; Group B — Tok Janggut Warriors 2 Kuala Lumpur Rovers 1.
FA CUP: Qualifying rd — Bukit Tambun 2 Immigration 1 (aet), BRM Kuala Kangsar 2 Tun Razak City 1.