HUGE congratulations to Sabah FC on bouncing back with a vital 2-0 home win over Terengganu FC on Saturday!After a tough three-match winless run, capturing all three points is surely a massive relief and a boost for the management.
The game started with Terengganu FC dominated the opening minutes, repeatedly threatening Sabah FC’s defence, though they lacked the final clinical touch.
However, the momentum completely shifted in the 20th minute. Caught well off his line, Terengganu FC goalkeeper Mohd Suhaimi Husin miscalculated a long ball from Kike Cadet, watching in horror as it bounced over him and straight into the back of the net.
The relentless downpour proved costly for him. On a regular pitch, he likely would have been able to clear the danger, but the waterlogged surface left him completely stranded.
Conceding in that manner visibly shook Terengganu FC, and just five minutes later, Gonzalo Ignacio Di Renzo doubled the advantage—smashing home a low volley after being neatly set up by Darren Lok.
I was unsure of the exact sequence of events when emotions boiled over and a conflict erupted on Terengganu FC’s end just before halftime, culminating in a red card for Romel Morales following a foul on Sabah FC goalkeeper Juan Flere.
Credit goes to the Terengganu FC players who, despite being a man down, worked tirelessly to maintain their composure and defend against Sabah FC’s attacks until the final whistle.
I read that assistant coach Alto Linus is excited about the potential pairing of Di Renzo and Darren.
It’s still too early to tell if that optimism is justified, especially since they only started playing together.
However, there is definitely potential there, and I hope they can replicate the legendary partnership of Scott Ollerenshaw and Matlan Marjan.
We’re down to the final few games of round one. Hopefully, Saturday’s massive win is exactly what the players need to spark their confidence.
Now, it’s all about consistency—we have to keep this winning momentum alive through the final ties before heading into round two!Meanwhile, the Sabah FA women’s team successfully defended their title in the National Women’s League, truly showcasing the strength of Sabah’s women in football.
Congratulations to the team on a job well done! Admittedly, I was a bit sceptical before the final, even though they had already beaten Selangor FC once during the group stage.
Luck was also on our side. Both teams had plenty of opportunities to win, but the turning point was a long-range goal by Enzi Hekima Starks Broussard.
A mistake by the Selangor FC goalkeeper ultimately gifted us the victory, catching them at a time when it was too late to mount a comeback.
