Kota Kinabalu: Hosts Sabah FC face a daunting race against time to recover their physical peak against Kuching City side in the Borneo Derby at Likas Stadium tonight, after a gruelling battle in the FA Cup tie with Selangor FC on Wednesday.
Despite the setback, head coach Juan Torres Garrido remained focused and said he was looking forward to the game, expecting the players to give their best.
“We are excited to play in this match. It is another great test for both teams. However, we had just played two days ago and it was against Selangor FC, another quality team.
“This demands a lot of energy from the players, because they have to play three matches in seven days against two great teams and it comes very early in the season.
“However, the players’ condition is constantly monitored from day to day to ensure the team can prepare in the best possible way despite the less-than ideal conditions due to the haze,” he said.
He also kept his cards close to his chest on the starting line-up, hinting that fans shouldn’t expect any major changes.
“Our approach is more about the match strategy and the energy needed to execute the tempo of play that we want,” he stressed.
He called on the fans to come together to pack the stadium to lift the team to victory.
“We need a packed house. A packed stadium gives us the extra gear to fight through the tough moments and the perfect atmosphere to celebrate the great ones together,” he said.
