FAR FROM OVER

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos are not willing to bow out to the Northern Lions when they meet in the return leg of the FA Cup quarter-finals in Kangar tonight.

Instead, they have pledged to go all out to claim a place in the semi-finals of the competition they last won in 1995.

The Rhinos are ready to slog it out with last year’s losing finalists, at least according to their team manager Rahman Zakaria.

He insists that the battle is far from over despite the fact that the Northern Lions are holding the home-ground advantage.

Besides that, they are also enjoying the away goals rule, following the first leg result that ended in a two-all draw.

“There is another 90 minutes to play, so we are not willing to surrender the semi-final ticket without a fight.

“In fact it is still an open contest and we know we are still pretty much in it,” he said.

Rahman said that even though Perlis may be holding the upper hand, it will not deter them from giving their best shot in the match.

“I’m not going to make any promises, but we are going to Kangar not looking for a draw. We will certainly try to win the game.

“This is definitely going to be a tough one for the team, but we are ready and prepared and we have nothing to fear.

“In fact we have nothing to lose, so obviously the players will be playing without any pressure. The only thing that we want them to do is to play their hearts out and play as a team. And if they can do that, then I dare to say that our chances are 50-50.

“I think the team that makes fewer mistakes would make it into the semi-finals,” he added. The first leg ended two-all despite the fact that Sabah were leading 2-0 at half time, only to concede two late goals that saw the match eventually end in a draw.

Sabah only need a simple win to cruise into the last four, but if the match ends in a three-all draw or higher, then they would be in the semis as well on the away goals rule.

As for Perlis a scoreless or one-all draw will see them through.

But if the match ended in a two-all draw then it will proceed into extra time or even penalty kicks.

This will be Sabah’s fourth consecutive away match, which started off with a Premier League tie against Kelantan that ended in a one-all draw, followed by the shock 1-2 defeat to KL Plus FC, also a Premier League team.

Then they edged Police 4-3 to book a quarter-final ticket in the prestigious Malaysia Cup challenge.

Like what Rahman says, this could be a fruitful outing for the Rhinos in Kangar if they play to their true strength and as a big team.

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RHINOS ON TRACK

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s season is still pretty much alive and kicking!

Despite the fact that they only hold a mathematical chance of making it to top flight football next season, but at least the Rhinos are still in the race for honours in the elusive Malaysia Cup challenge.

On Saturday, the Rhinos emerged as one of the eight quarter-finalists for the oldest and most prestigious Malaysia Cup after the completion of the three-group preliminary round stages.

The Rhinos qualified for the knockout stage by virtue of being among the two best third placed teams along with Terengganu from Group B.

Sabah finished behind Kedah and Perak in Group C, while Selangor and Perlis made it through the Group A and NS NAZA topped the Group B while Melaka finished in second followed by Terengganu.

While not having the best of campaigns in the Premier League, Sabah’s Malaysia Cup challenge has been quite convincing and they are also still in the FA Cup competition, although thing looks a lot tougher for them in the competition.

They need to get the better of last year’s finalists Perlis in order to advance through into the semi-finals.

The first leg of the FA Cup ended in a two-all draw. Despite the fact that Sabah had taken a two-goal lead, Perlis fought back and scored two goals inside the last five minutes or so.

Although they only needed a draw against Police in their final game, but the Rhinos have proven that their entry into the last eight was no fluke.

Instead their 4-3 victory over the Premier League runaway leaders is just an indication that they are genuine contenders for the Malaysia Cup crown.

But before that, they have to clear their first hurdle where NS NAZA await them in the quarters.

The quarter-finals fixtures have been slated for August.

“We were aware that a draw would have been enough, but we wanted to underline our determination by getting a victory.

“We achieved that and we are in the quarter-finals, and obviously we are happy with the result.

“The fact that we are the only non Super League team in the last eight shows that we do belong to the elite group,” Rahman Zakaria said.

However, it was quite a night for the Rhinos as the scoreline suggests.

Despite taking a two-goal lead courtesy of Charles Obi’s 36th minute strike and Chow Chee Weng’s 68th minute effort, the Rhinos allowed Police to battle back and score three goals to eventually take the lead.

However, Obi was on target again, but this time he netted his second on the night from the spot to put Sabah on level terms, before Salvester Sindeh turned hero for his side by netting the winner one minute from regulation time.

But while happy with the result, Rahman is not at all impressed with the team’s overall performance.

“It was supposed to be an easy night after we took a two-goal lead. But we took things easy after taking the lead which allowed Police to fight back. We must try to stop things like this from happening, because on some days we might be punished. We will look into it and try to improve in future matches.

“Hopefully we will be able to lift our game in the next match,” he added, referring to the second leg FA Cup quarterfinal tie against Perlis in Kangar on May 29.

Meanwhile, Rahman sang his praises of the youthful Rhinos’ squad for their showing thus far in the Malaysian League, especially in the Malaysia Cup and FA Cup.

While the Rhinos face a mammoth task in securing promotion to the Super League, Rahman said: “Let us not forget that no one gave Sabah much hope at the start of the season following our poor campaign since 2005. But we proved them wrong with an improved performance and results this year under the guidance of head coach Drago Mamic, apart from the players’ determination.”

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A POINT WILL DO

KOTA KINABALU: A draw is all what the Rhinos need to qualify for the Malaysia Cup quarterfinals when they take on out of contention Police in their final Group C game at the MPS Stadium in Selayang tonight. Despite the seemingly simplest of tasks, Rahman Zakaria was quick to point out that they are not taking any chances and that they won’t take their opponents lightly.

“We are not there yet. So there is no reason for us to take this match lightly,” said the Rhinos’ team manager. “We will need to give our best and play our hearts out to try and win the game even though a draw should be good enough to send us into the next round. “It has been a disappointing trip for us thus far because we have dropped valuable points in the Premier League challenge. But then again, this is a Malaysia Cup challenge, and it is a totally different ball game.

“So I hope the players stay focused and try to continue Sabah’s fine momentum in this Cup campaign. “They know what they must do to progress and I hope they will do a good job tomorrow,” Rahman added. At the same time, Rahman also called on the men in black to be more consistent in their decisions.

Rahman felt that the below par refereeing was among the factors that denied them from collecting maximum points in their last two League games. “It was so obvious that the referees made questionable decisions against us in the last two matches. The referees tend to award fouls too easily on our players. In this game, I hope the referee will be more fair and consistent.

According to Rahman, what really irked him was when one of the referees in their last match uttered what can be described as racist remarks against Sabah’s Nigerian hitman Charles Obi.

Rahman said Obi told him that this particular referee was alleged to have said to Obi: “This is Malaysia and it is better you go back to your country.” He added that they are considering lodging an official complaint to the FA of Malaysia regarding the matter. The Malaysia Cup is the only trophy missing from the Rhinos’ cabinet and Rahman believes that this could be their year. But first, he said they must overcome this final group hurdle before they could think of something greater.

For the record, Sabah edged Police 2-1 at the same venue in the first round. Kedah, who have already cemented their quarterfinal berth, will take on Perak, who like Sabah need one point to confirm their quarterfinal tickets. Perak and Sabah have 15 points but the Rhinos sit on third place with an inferior goal difference while Kedah have 19 points. The other teams who have booked their quarterfinal berths are Selangor from Group A, Negeri Sembilan Naza and Terengganu from Group B. The eight quarterfinal places will be filled by the top two teams in each group as well as the two highest ranked third placed teams.

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Worrying signs as Rhinos continue winless streak

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah's 1-2 away loss to KL Plus FC in the Premier League on Tuesday saw them remain third in the standings.

The loss was Sabah's third in their league campaign and now have 25 points from six wins and seven draws scoring 22 goals and conceding 15. In the match against KL Plus, Sylvester Sindih scored the only goal for the visitors.

However, the Rhinos are now 12 points behind league leaders PDRM who narrowly beat Kuala Muda Naza 1-0 also on Tuesday while UPB-MyTeam remain second on 32 points.

After three consecutive draws against Kuala Muda, Kelantan (both in the Premier League) and Perlis (FA Cup), it was hoped that the team would bounce back and at least return home with a point, but it was not to be.

The players may be burnt-out from playing too many games in a short period of time with the match against KL Plus FC being Sabah's sixth this month alone.

The form they are in at the moment will definitely raise concerns among fans as to whether the team has got what it takes to be promoted to the Super League next season.

Goals from Charles Obi seems to be drying up and this could be attributed to the team's over-dependency on the Nigerian. It may be time for coach Drago Mamic to drill the other players in target practice, lessening the burden on Obi, who is the second highest goal scorer in the league with 11 goals.

Sabah's next match will be in the Malaysia Cup where they will face PDRM for a slot in the quarterfinals.

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MATHEMATICAL CHANCE

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos’ hopes of promotion now hangs by a thread after the shocking 1-2 defeat at lowly KL Plus FC on Tuesday. And the loss in fact may end their quest to taste Super League action next season.

Although mathematically still in the race, things are looking difficult for Drago Mamic and his boys especially with their current form. They merely managed to pick up two points from a possible nine from their last three outings.

The Police are virtually promoted and this means that there is only one berth left. Sabah and UPB-MyTEAM are fighting for this lone spot and the latter surely has the upper hand over their Borneo rival.

With four matches left, Sabah need to win all their remaining matches, Johor Pasir Gudang, Shahzan Muda, Police and Selangor PKNS. Mamic must also hope that UPB-MyTEAM will lose twice and draw once against Kuala Muda Naza, Kelantan, Johor PG and Police.

The Police are comfortable on top of the 11-team standings on 37 points, five ahead of second-placed UPB-MyTEAM (32) while Sabah is in third on 25.

On top of that, Police hold a one-match advantage over both UPB-MyTEAM and Sabah, thus making them the hot favourite to lift the Premier League crown.

Police need only a point to see Super League action while UPB-MyTEAM need four more points to kill off whatever hopes there is left for Sabah.

The way things are at the moment, it will be another year for the Rhinos in the Premier League. It is sad to say that they have themselves to blame for the entire predicament they are in now. They really had the chances to make it into the top two by now. They however failed to take those chances. They kept dropping point after precious point as the League progressed.

The Rhinos might have tried their best, but their best may not be good enough for promotion.

It was an unlucky 13 for the Rhinos, as they succumbed to their first defeat after 13 matches in the League. In fact they have not lost a match since the shock 1-0 home defeat to Armed Forces on January 5. Ever since that loss, the Rhinos won six matches, another six draws before suffering the recent defeat to KL Plus.

Unless the Rhinos gain full points against un-fancied teams like KL Plus or Shahzan Muda to name a few, they may spend life in the Premier League a little longer.

But while Sabah’s Premier League challenge is about to end, they are still in the race for a place in the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup. They only need a draw when they take on Police in a Group C match this coming Tuesday. They then will travel to the north by taking on Perlis in a win or bust tie in the FA Cup quarter-finals return leg. The Rhinos drew 2-2 in the first round.

In the KL Plus FC match; the Rhinos squandered a one-goal lead before bowing out to the club side. After a scoreless first half, Salvester Sindeh drew first blood for the Rhinos in the 50th minute.

However, KL Plus managed to score the equaliser 20 minutes later.

With 10 minutes remaining in regulation time, Sabah suffered a set back when its striker Prince Ativie Guy was given the marching orders for a second bookable offence. Minutes later KL Plus capitalised on this by netting the winner.

This loss may have ended Sabah’s chance to join the big boys in the Super League.

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LAST CHANCE SALOON

KOTA KINABALU: It will be win or bust when the Rhinos continue their challenge on the road in the ongoing Malaysian League campaign.

In fact it will be a massive three consecutive away matches for them starting with their Premier League clash against KL PLUS FC at the KLFA Stadium tonight.

This is a game that the Rhinos must win at all costs in order to keep their flagging hopes alive. Anything less than three points from this game will see all signs pointing to the Rhinos playing in the Premier League for the third consecutive season.

Mathematically, the Rhinos are still in the race for the two promotion slots to the Super League next season.

They are currently trailing UPB-MyTEAM who occupy the last promotion spot, by seven points.

For the record, Police are leading the pack in the 11-team Premier League on 34 points. They have a two-game advantage over UPB-MyTEAM, who occupy the second spot on 32 points, while Sabah are third on 25 points.

But with UPB-MyTEAM not playing tonight, this will be an opportunity for Police to extend their lead at the top of the table and for the case of Sabah this is their chance to close the gap.

“We know where we stand and all I can say now is our fight will go on until the end,” said team manager Rahman Zakaria.

“When you look at our results, it has been quite good. For instance in the Premier League, we are looking to extend our unbeaten run to 12 matches. It is so unfortunate that we could not win the matches that we could have won. I guess, luck was just not with us, although I would not take that as an excuse.

“Hopefully tomorrow, we will do better and win the game so that the race will go on … hopefully everything will be decided on the final day of the league,” said Rahman.

After the KL PLUS FC clash, the Rhinos will take on Police in a Malaysia Cup Group C tie at the MPS Stadium in Selayang on Saturday.

Unlike the KL PLUS FC clash, a draw would do for the Rhinos in the final group fixtures, which would mean they would secure a quarterfinal berth via the two best third teams in the three-group competition.

But a victory over Police could see Sabah finish second in the group should table-toppers Kedah get the better of or hold second placed Perak to a draw.

After the Malaysia Cup date, the Rhinos travel north to take on Perlis in the FA Cup quarter-finals return leg tie at the Main Stadium in Kangar.

The first leg saw the Rhinos squander a two-goal lead by allowing Perlis to score two goals in the last four minutes of the game.

But despite that, the Rhinos have a clear-cut mission. They just need a simple win to make it into the semi-finals.

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Rhinos need a miracle

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s hopes of clinching one of the two promotion slots to the Super League next season are slowly fading away after squandering yet another opportunity of closing the gap with the top teams on Friday.

The two drawn matches in their last two outings, including Friday’s draw against Kelantan at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru, has now left them with nothing but a miracle to make it into the top flight of Malaysian football.

A victory over Kelantan could have helped them close the gap on second-placed UPB-MyTEAM, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Kuala Lumpur in another Premier League tie at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras.

Instead, the Rhinos failed in their mission in Kota Baru as they merely returned home with one point … meaning it remain as status quo as far as the points’ gap between them and UPB-MyTEAM, who are occupying the last promotion slot.

Despite the fact that their promotion hopes are no longer in their own hands, Rahman Zakaria is not giving up hope just yet, insisting that they will solider on.

“We are not giving any promises, but we will certainly give our utmost best in our quest for promotion,” the Rhinos’ team manager said.

“We are still in the race, but with a tricky path ahead of us,” he admitted. “We need to win our remaining games and hope results elsewhere will favour us,” added Rahman.

Police, who chalked up their 11th win of the season after edging Armed Forces 3-1 at the MPS Stadium in Selayang, are comfortably leading the standings on 34 points, and look certain to claim one of the promotion slots, especially with them holding a two-game advantage over UPB-MyTEAM and one-game advantage over Sabah.

UPB-MyTEAM are second on 32 followed by Sabah on 25 points.

“Now it seems that we will be fighting for the one slot with UPB-MyTEAM because Police are quite far ahead of us.

“As UPB-MyTEAM will not be playing this coming Tuesday, it is important that we take our chances against KL Plus FC away,” Rahman said.

“A victory will certainly motivate the players to take the challenge to try and stay unbeaten in our remaining fixtures. Hopefully this will put UPB-MyTEAM under pressure to lose points along the way,” said Rahman, while expressing his confidence in head coach Drago Mamic’s vast experience.

Commenting on the Kelantan clash, Rahman said that it was a game that they could have won with better or rather fairer refereeing.

He said that there were several questionable decisions against Sabah.

In the game, Kelantan took the lead in the 54th minute through Luciano Ignacio Olier, but Prince Ativie Guy scored the equaliser for Sabah five minutes from time.

But prior to Prince Ativie’s equaliser, Sabah had a good penalty appeal turned down by the referee after Azrul Ejati Damsah was brought down inside the Kelantan penalty box.

“The linesman had flagged for a foul on Azrul,” said Rahman. “But instead of pointing to the spot, the referee booked him for no reason.

“It was a clear penalty, but we could do nothing as it was the referee who had the final say,” said Rahman, adding that there were so many decisions against Sabah that eventually affected the rhythm of their game.

Rahman also said that Sabah will be based in Peninsula Malaysia until the second leg of the FAM quarter-final tie against Perlis on May 29.

However, prior to the win or bust clash, Sabah will have a date against KL Plus FC in a Premier League tie on May 22 before taking on Police four days later in their final Group C Malaysia Cup challenge at the MPS Stadium where they need a draw to cruise into the quarter-finals.

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Rhinos aim to break winless streak

Kota Kinabalu: After two straight draws, Sabah are gunning for a win when they meet Kelantan in the Premier League on Friday at the Sultan Mohd. IV Stadium in Kota Bahru.

Sabah Football Association (Safa) Vice-President Datuk Lawrence Gimbang said the boys are ready to bounce back to their winning ways.

Sabah played to a scoreless draw against Kuala Muda Naza and more recently to a two-all draw against Perlis.

The disappointment against Perlis in the FA Cup quarter-final, especially after leading 2-0 only for the Northern Lions to claw back and equalise, should make Sabah coach Drago Mamic see the need for the team to fully focus and not slack off even when they are leading comfortably.

Maybe the absence of defender Ronny Harun, who is currently training with the national team, has rattled Sabah's defence in the last couple of matches.

It is not clear whether Ronny will play against Kelantan, but that should not be a major obstacle for Mamic as Sabah have several young and experienced defenders who are capable of covering his position.

The seven-point gap with the top two teams, MyTeam and PDRM (both on 31 points), means that Sabah must not drop anymore points if they want to challenge for promotion to the Super League next season.

A draw may only be a dent in Sabah's hopes but a loss in Kelantan will mean the team can say goodbye to promotion, what more if both My Team and PDRM win their respective fixtures.

Gimbang was confident that the players fielded against Kelantan would not disappoint and will give their best in the match.

At the moment, Sabah are third in the league with 24 points from six wins, six draws and two losses while Kelantan occupy sixth place with 17 points.

Playing away from home will hopefully be a blessing in disguise for Sabah, as they have an away record that is surprisingly good.

Strikers Charles Obi and Prince Ijiebor Ative are expected to start against Kelantan and both would like very much to add to their goal tally.

Obi, who failed to score against Kuala Muda and Perlis, currently has scored 11 goals in the league while Ative has scored two.

Kelantan on the other hand are likely to place their hopes for goals on their Argentinian player Gustavo Romeiro who has four goals to his credit this season as well as Saufi Saadi and Zairul Fitri Ishak.

Sabah's probable line-up: Irwan Jamil (GK), P. Rajes, Chow Chee Wing, Hardy Parsi, Ahmad Tharmini Saiban, Prince Ijiebor Ative, S. Sunder, Azrul Ejati Damsah, Prince Eboagwu Etuew, Henry Soimpon, Charles Obi.

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Rhinos must win to keep promotion hopes alive

KOTA KINABALU: Go all out for a win is the order of the day for the Rhinos as they take on Kelantan in a tricky Premier League tie at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru tonight.

In fact a victory is a must for the Rhinos in order to keep their promotion hopes alive after dropping two valuable points against Kuala Muda Naza in their last home game.

“This is a game that we must win at all costs. When you look at the standings, we know it is a clear cut thing … win or bust,” said Datuk Lawrence Gimbang.

“There is no place for blunders … and it is as simple as that. They have to be at their best and play their hearts out, not for 30 … 70 minutes but they must fight until the final whistle.”

“Mathematically, we are still in the race (for promotion) and for that reason, we must try to win as many games that are left to be played.

“Although we are trailing by seven points at the moment, in football you never know because anything can happen,” the Sabah FA Deputy President added.

Gimbang said this when met at the launching of the AFC Under-13 Festival of Football at the Le Meridien Hotel in the State Capital yesterday.

Including tonight’s clash, there are five matches left to be played for the Rhinos.

However, winning all the five matches would not be good enough to earn one of the two promotion slots to the Malaysia Super League should the top two teams – UPB-MyTEAM and Police maintain their winning run.

UPB-MyTEAM currently stay on top of the standings on 31 points having a better goal average than Police, who are also on 31. However, Police have two games in hand.

Sabah on the other hand occupy third place on 24 points, but have played one match lesser than UPB-MyTEAM.

“I want the players to realise that they must fight until the end no matter how slim our chances are. Nothing is over until the final whistle … so I hope the players will solider on and try to win this tie.

“This is going to be a tough game. From my experience, it is never easy to play against Kelantan especially in their own den. Nevertheless, I still believe victory is within our reach.

“I also hope that they will not repeat the same mistake again as like against Perlis in the FA Cup. We all know that the game could have been ours, but we gave away two goals late in the game. This shouldn’t be happening. I hope the players will stay alert until the whistle is blown,” Gimbang said.

For tonight’s clash, any major changes to the Rhinos first team squad are unlikely, with striker-in-chief Charles Obi again spearheading the attack together with Prince Ativie Guy, while Rosdin Wasli, who missed the FA Cup clash against Perlis, should be back and could start the game in midfield alongside Hardy Charles Parsi or Zulamri Muhammad, with P. Rajes at the left of midfield and Chow Chee Wing on the right.

Ahmad Tharmini Saiban, Prince Eboagwu Etuwe, S. Suresh and Burhan Ajui are likely to start at the Rhinos’ backline.

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Rhinos going all out to win: Rahman

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah face a daunting task in their FA Cup quarter-final 2nd leg match at Kangar Stadium against last season's runners-up Perlis come May 29.

In the 1st leg encounter against Perlis at Stadium Likas Tuesday night, Sabah could only muster a 2-2 draw. Sabah team manager, Rahman Zakaria, said his boys will be going all out to get a Rhinos win against Perlis and in the process make it to the semis.

"Although our opponents have the advantage of playing on home turf, we won't be deterred and will be going all out to win" he told Bernama here Wednesday.

Rahman said Sabah will be fielding their best eleven in the do-or-die match.

"We must win the upcoming match, the number of goals scored does not matter.

"With our commitment and high expectations, I am confident our players will do their best," he said.

According to Rahman, the team will continue their regular training regime and attempt to sharpen their offence in order to get the goals.

Rahman hopes the deadly finishing of Charles Obi, Prince Guy Ative and Hardy Charles Parsi will see them through. - Bernama

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A Mountain to climb for Rhinos in Kangar

KUALA LUMPUR: Last season’s runners-up Perlis only managed a draw with Sabah in their first quarter-final match of the FA Cup competition while Johor Pasir Gudang marched closer to the semi-final after beating Kuala Muda NAZA on Tuesday night.

Sabah will have a tough time in the second leg when they meet last year’s runners-up Perlis at the Kangar stadium on May 29.

Sabah drew 2-2 and scored first in the 20th minute through Prince Guy Ative’s powerful shot after receiving a cross from Charles Obi. They got the second in the 43rd minute through Azrul Ejati Damsah 20 metres from the goal.

Two goals by Mohd Nazaruddin Mohd Zain and Phillimon Chipeta within five minutes before the final whistle saved Perlis from returning home empty-handed.

The Rhinos’ manager Rahman Zakaria vows that his team will go flat out in Kangar to secure a semi-final berth.

“Though Perlis has home advantage we will be ready for them, we will not be shaken, we will be going all out in this coming match.”

The Rhinos will be fielding a full strength squad for this vital away match.

“We need to win. It doesn’t matter by how many goals. With steely commitment and with tremendous spirit the Rhinos can come out as victors.”

The Rhinos will train as usual and will be focusing on sharpening up the forward line in search of the vital goals needed.

Striker Obi, the influential Prince Ativie Guy and Hardy Charles Parsi are among the main players to shoulder the responsibility to break down their rivals in Kangar.

Meanwhile, at the Johor Stadium, Johor Pasir Gudang beat Kuala Muda NAZA 2-0 through Hairy Azly Mahamad in the 4th minute and Mohamad Khairul Ismail in the final minute.

The second leg quarter-final matches involving the four teams are on May 29.

Meanwhile, UPB-MyTEAM beat Malaysian Defence Forces (ATM) 3-1 in a Premier League match at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium in Cheras.

Harris Safwan scored twice in the 33rd and 73rd minutes and Marin Mikac added another in the 75th minute for UPB-MyTEAM.

With the win, UPB-MyTeam share 31 points with Police at the top of the table standing and they are separated by goal difference.

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Rhinos squander 2-goal lead

Kuala Lumpur: Last season's FA Cup runners-up Perlis managed a 2-2 draw with Sabah in their 1st leg FA Cup quarter-final encounter while Johor Pasir Gudang managed a 2-0 win against Kuala Muda Naza Tuesday night.

At Likas Stadium, Sabah opened accounts in the 20th minute when their import Prince Guy Ative scored with a fierce drive following a Charles Obi cross. Sabah doubled their lead in the 43rd minute when Azrul Ejati Damsah scored from 20 metres out which gave the hosts a 2-0 lead going into the halftime interval.

Two Perlis goals in the final 5 minutes of play ensured the visitors did not go home empty-handed with Mohd Nazaruddin scoring in the 87th minute and then Phillemon Chepita in injury time much to the disappointment of the hosts.

Meanwhile, at Johor Stadium the encounter between the two Super League sides saw the hosts defeating Kuala Muda Naza 2-0.

Hairy Azly Mahamad opened the scoring in the 4th minute from a free kick before Mohamad Khairul Ismail added to the visitor's woes with 90th minute goal.

The return legs will be played on May 29. - Bernama

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FOUR MINUTES OF DISASTER

KOTA KINABALU: It was four minutes of disaster for Sabah in the first leg of the FA Cup quarterfinals at the Likas Stadium last night.

They took a two-goal first half lead, but allowed Perlis to score twice late in the game to earn a well-deserved draw.

In fact the Rhinos have themselves to blame for failing to gain at least a slender lead for the return leg as they found out that their second-half approach of trying to defend their lead backfired.

The result gives Perlis the upper hand to proceed through into the semi-finals with Sabah left with a mammoth task in Kangar on May 29.

Prince Ativie Guy scored the opener for the homesters, before Azrul Ejati Damsah struck the second for the Rhinos to take a healthy 2-0 lead at half time.

But as the match headed for a Sabah victory, Mohd Nazaruddin Mohd Zain reduced the deficit for the visitors in the 87th minute, before Phillimon Chipeta spoiled the Rhinos’ night with an injury-time equaliser.

It was an explosive first half as both sides played a fast paced game with the home side proving to be more deadly by scoring twice.

However, it was the visitors who had the first attempt in the game when Zacharia Simukonda found space inside the Sabah penalty box after being fed by ex-Rhino Joey Ryan Gundok in the 8th minute.

The striker unleashed a close range shot but Sabah’s young custodian Irwan Jamil was in his element to palm the ball away for a corner.

Sabah’s first attempt only came in the 20th minute. It started from a long clearance from the Sabah backline where the ball found Charles Obi, who then back-heeled the ball to Prince Ativie.

The unmarked Prince Ativie unleashed a powerful knee-high shot from about 25 metres that defeated Perlis custodian Tay Sin Kiat for Sabah’s opener.

And in a quick counter attack, Sabah extended the lead through Azrul, who struck the second three minutes before the break.

The move started from Chow Chee Wing, who crossed the ball for Charles Obi, but the ball found Perlis’ Md Reithuddin Awang Embran. However, Reithuddin’s weak header saw the ball hit Azrul’s chest, who eventually slammed a low drive from inside the box that defeated Sin Kiat for the second time on the night.

After the break, the Rhinos seemed to be satisfied with the lead and the experienced Perlis side took full advantage of that by launching attack after attack at Sabah’s goalmouth.

Unlike the first half where the match was equally contested, the second half was an-all Perlis affair with most of the game played in Sabah’s half.

But despite dominating the last 45 minutes, Perlis found the solid Sabah defence marshaled by stand-in skipper Ahmad Tharmini Saiban, Prince Eboagwu Etuwe and Henry Parsi a hard nut to crack until Mohd Nazaruddin Mohd Zain reduced the deficit in the 87th minute.

It started from the left where Mohd Hardi Ahmad sent a tricky cross. Irwan managed to punch the ball, but unfortunately it found Mohd Nazaruddin, who easily lobbed the ball into the back of the Sabah net with Irwan unable to do much about it as he was off position.

And in injury time, Chipeta did the damage on the Rhinos when he pounced home the equaliser during a goalmouth melee following a corner.

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UNDERDOGS TAG SUITS RHINOS

KOTA KINABALU: The underdogs tag suits Sabah when they take on last year’s losing finalists Perlis in the first leg of the FA Cup quarter-finals at the Likas Stadium tonight.

This is due to the fact that Perlis are a Super League outfit and are also the reigning Malaysia Cup champions.

Perlis are currently fifth placed in the 13-team Super League.

But despite Perlis’ elite status, Rahman Zakaria still believes that eyeing a comfortable cushion for the return leg on May 29 is still pretty much a realistic target.

The Rhinos’ team manager said that as long as they play to their true strength, capability and wholeheartedly, winning by a comfortable margin is within reach.

“We respect them for who they are, but on the other hand, a Cup game is always different than the league and anything can happen.

“They may be from the Super League, but we are not afraid to face them. Furthermore, they are not the first Super League side that we are facing, because prior to this, we have also played against Super League outfits such as Pahang, Perak, Kedah, as well as Sarawak, and we have been getting the results,” Rahman said.

“I’m quite convinced of our chances. The players are in high spirit, and are determined to do the damage on the opponents.

“I think our head coach Drago Mamic has his own way on how to tackle Perlis, and so far we have been doing brilliantly. His tactical approach has been working out well, and I hope it will be the same tomorrow.

“A comfortable victory is all what we will be looking for in this game,” Rahman said.

Sabah will be at full strength for the clash with the return of midfielder Rosdin Wasli, while Ronny Harun, who is with the national team is the only player missing.

Perlis will also be without two of their regulars in Azlan Ismail and Fauzi Nan.

Fauzi is also with the national team, but Azlan, who was supposed to be with the national squad but declined the call-up, is believed to have been barred from playing for Perlis tonight.

It will be a homecoming game for three ex-Rhinos, namely Md Reithuddin Awang Emran, Joey Ryan Gundok and Madzalan Emoi.

And it is interesting to see whether any one of the trio will feature in the coach Hj Abdul Rahman Ibrahim’s game plan.

But as far as Drago is concerned, he is certain to field his best attacking pair of striker-in-chief Charles Obi and Prince Ativie Guy to spearhead the Rhinos’ attack, with Rosdin and Zulamri Muhammad likely to be the men at the middle of the park with Chow Chee Wing on the right and P. Rajes on the left.

Ahmad Tharmini Saiban and Prince Eboagwu Etuwe will be shouldering the responsibilities together with S. Suresh and either Burhan Ajui or Hardy Charles Parsi at the back.

Irwan Jamil will be retained as the Rhinos No 1 custodian.

But if the Rhinos are to keep a clean sheet, then they must watch out for Perlis hitman Phillemon Chepita, who has nine goals to his credit in the Super League.

The game is likely to go the Rhinos way provided that they play a fast flowing game like they did against the top sides such as Pahang and Perak.

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RHINOS STILL IN THE RACE

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos’ promotion hopes took a nose dive on Friday after slipping two valuable points away, following the scoreless draw against Kuala Muda Naza.

However, the Rhinos refuse to throw in the towel just yet, with Rahman Zakaria insisting that they are still pretty much in the race (for promotion).

“No, it is not over for us … no question about that. I think we are still pretty much in the race. We have six games left to play and that will be good for us,” the Rhinos team manager insisted.

“We are disappointed (the draw), but there is no point in crying over spilt milk. We should instead take the result positively and use it to bolster our determination in the remaining matches.

“It was a match that we could have won, but we paid the price for lacking the cutting edge upfront.

“I’m sad that we just could not put even one goal behind the net, knowing that this is one of those games that we could have won with ease.

“I must admit that it was not our best performance, especially in the first half where the team played below par, but still … when you look at it again (game) I think we had enough chances to win it if we were more clinical in our finishing,” Rahman added.

“If we managed to put one of those chances behind the net, it could have been a different story.

“We have to learn from this because we just cannot rest on our laurels no matter who our opponents are.

It was no surprise to many (fans especially) to see the Rhinos put up a lacklustre performance as they are well known for it … playing a superb game against a better team, and putting up an unconvincing show against a weaker team.

The Rhinos must realise that they must put up a consistent show and give their 100 per cent in any game if they harbour winning something at the end of the season.

To become champions or to gain promotion is not about one game or choosing games when to play their hearts out, but what matters most is consistency and winning as many matches as possible.

Now all that is left for the Rhinos after squandering what could have been an easy victory is to win the remaining six matches at all costs, while hoping that the top two teams fumble somewhere along the way until the season ends.

League leaders Police, who edged Kuala Lumpur 2-1, are now leading the pack on 31 points, seven points ahead of third-placed Sabah (24 points). And you must be aware that Police have played one match lesser than Sabah, while UPB-MyTEAM are second on 28 points after scoring a late winner against PKNS (2-1).

In the match against Kuala Muda NAZA, Charles Obi, Prince Ativie Guy as well as substitute Salvester Sindeh all had their share at the Kuala Muda Naza goalmouth with Prince Ativie having the best opportunity when he missed from inside the six-yard box in injury time of the game.

As for the visitors, its striker Azmin Sarmin, whose unfair challenge earlier on Irwan Jamil that triggered the 20-minute halt to the game due to safety reasons, missed a sitter when he beat the off-side trap to go one on one with Irwan, but it was fortunate for Sabah as his shot only hit the side netting.

The Rhinos’ remaining league matches will be against KL Plus FC (May 22) and Shahzan Muda (June 12) at home, and four away matches starting with Kelantan (May 18), Johor Pasir Gudang (June 5), PDRM (July 3) and Selangor PKNS (July 31).

Meanwhile, Rahman is confident that Sabah will be able to return to their usual form when they take on Perlis in the first leg of the FA Cup quarter-final here on May 15.

“The coach (Drago Mamic) has the qualities to lift the players and I’m sure he will plot his best strategy against Perlis.

“But then again, the players must carry out their responsibility on the pitch to claim a first leg advantage,” he said.

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MINNOWS HALT SABAH’S WINNING RUN

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s winning momentum was put to a halt by lowly Kuala Muda Naza after both sides ended their Premier League tie in a stalemate at the Likas Stadium last night.

The result certainly put a dent to Sabah’s promotion hopes especially after the two top teams – league leaders Police and second-placed UPB-MyTEAM – both won their respective battles last night. Police edged Kuala Lumpur 2-1 at the MPS Stadium in Selayang, while UPB-MyTEAM defeated Selangor PKNS by the same scoreline in Shah Alam. The other action of the night saw Johor Pasir Gudang blank Armed Forces 2-0 in Larkin, while KL PLUS FC defeated Kelantan 2-1 in Cheras. Despite the disappointing draw, Sabah remain third in the standings and also managed to extend their unbeaten run to 11 matches. However, this was not the result that they wanted as this was a game that they could have won with ease. Instead, they were punished for their pathetic performance, especially in the first half.

And it was just fortunate for the home side as their opponents – without disrespect to Kuala Muda Naza – did not have the quality to finish them off. The scrappy first half saw the visitors first test Sabah’s goalkeeper Irwan Jamil as its lanky foreign striker Boromo Itiegie Richard headed a Kamarulzaman free-kick straight into Irwan’s arms.

Sabah’s first attempt only came in the 28th minute through Charles Obi, who unleashed a shot from the D-box that sailed above the crossbar. Muhamad Zamri Chi twice saw his close-range attempt hit the Sabah side netting before Obi once again found space inside the Kuala Muda Naza goalmouth and curled a weak shot that was palmed away by Mohd Al-Husairi Ibrahim for a fruitless corner. After the break, Sabah introduced Salvester Sindeh for the injured Mohd Munir Amran, but even with Salvester’s presence, the rhythm of the game was still at a slow pace.

The first genuine chance only came in the 78th minute when Prince Ativie Guy headed a P. Rajesh cross, but unfortunately for Sabah it went above the crossbar.

And in the 83rd minute, things could have turned ugly when both sides from the bench were seen exchanging words with the fans, who also showed their anger by throwing bottles. It all started when a Kuala Muda Naza player Azmi Sarmin made a late attempt and his boots either accidentally or purposely hit Irwan’s body, who had already made a clean save from an attempt by a Kuala Muda player.

Irwan got up on his feet and tried to retaliate and it was at this juncture that the Sabah coach Drago Mamic was seen trying to rush to the scene before he was stopped by the fourth match official.

But Drago’s action seemed to anger the Kuala Muda bench where two or three of their officials were seen trying to challenge the officials at the Sabah bench. But before things got worse, with the fans already seen throwing bottles onto the stadium, match commissioner – Mohamad Rodzali – was quick enough to consult the referee – Alagurajan Muniyaiyah – and seconds later the match was stopped (for about 20 minutes) until the arrival of more security. And it was surely the poor handling of the game by the match official that caused this thing to happen.

Azmi Sarmin should have been punished with a yellow card for the offence, which he escaped not even with a warning. And when the match resumed, Sabah created two scoring opportunities with Salvester shooting wide, while Prince Ativie also saw his injury time attempt go off target.

Earlier on, it was Azmi Sarmin who could have turned hero for his side when he managed to beat the off-side trip and only had Irwan to beat, and it was fortunate for Sabah as he shot wide.

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Rhinos held to a scoreless draw by Kuala Muda Naza

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah and Kuala Muda Naza played to a scoreless draw in a Premier League match that was disrupted for 20 minutes following security concerns from match officials at the Likas Stadium on Friday night.

Referee Alagurajan Muniyaiyah halted the match with just eight more minutes left on the clock following advice from the other officials after a heated moment on the pitch that led to a tense situation between the two teams' officials.

It began when a Kuala Muda Naza player got late a boot in after Sabah goalkeeper Irwan Jamil had gathered a low ball cleanly that irked the Sabah's officials on the sideline.

Officials in the Kuala Muda Naza's bench including its chief coach, Abdul Ghani Long also stood up and proceeded to the sideline in reaction to the incident. One of their trainers was also seen heading towards the Sabah bench but was stopped by his colleague. This jolted the home fans who started lobbing water bottles onto the pitch aimed at the visiting team's bench.

With just six security marshals visible on the sidelines, worried match officials called up Alagurajan to halt the game as they spoke to a senior police officer requesting for more security presence in the stadium.

Sabah team manager, Rahman Zakaria and head coach, Drago Mamic as well as Rhinos stand-in captain, Ahmad Tharmini Saiban then tried to calm the fans.

However, the fans opposite the grand stand were already seen trying to force down the gate but stopped upon seeing a policeman from the canine unit entering.

Minutes later, the sound of sirens accompanied the arrival of two truck loads of riot police in an effort to maintain order and this finally allowed the referee to proceed with the remaining minutes of the match.

In the first 45 minutes, it was Kuala Muda Naza who had a good spell creating chances through their attacking midfielder, Kamarulzaman Mahmud and import Boromo Itiegie Richard.

Boromo had a golden opportunity in the 24th minute through a header headed off Kamarulzaman's free kick but Irwan was quick to parry the ball and the resulting rebound was cleared away by his defender.

Sabah's dangerman, Charles Obi donning a new hair do, bald shaven, had a chance to draw first blood for the Rhinos shortly before the breather but his shot from inside the box was tipped over the bar by Kuala Muda Naza custodian Mohd Al-Husairi Ibrahim for a corner. In the second half, Coach Mamic tried to change the Rhinos rhythm by substituting Mohd Munir Amran with lanky striker Salvester Sindih.

However, it was young midfielder, Radzi Mohd Hussin who had the golden chance in the 47th minute when he received a headed down ball by Prince Guy Ative in the penalty box.

But his stinging shot was parried by Mohd Al-Husairi who quickly recovered in the nick of time to snatch the ball away from the lurking Obi.

The absence of captain Rosdin Wasli in midfield who was serving a suspension due to three yellow cards in the Premier League in a way affected the Rhinos gameplan, although his replacement, Radzi performed well with his pin-point passing.

The Rhinos already playing without key defender, Ronny Harun who is away on national duty also lost another defender, S. Sunder who was injured in the first half and replaced by Julamri Muhammad.

Veteran defender, Burhan Ajui who was given the captain's role was substituted by Coach Mamic late in the second half replaced by Rajesh Perumal.

The overlapping fullback, Rajesh immediately contributed to the game when he floated the ball in for Prince Guy Ativie but his header was just over the bar in the 77th minute.

The fans were also frustrated with the time wasting tactic of the Kuala Muda Naza as their players were seen falling to the ground claiming injuries each time there was contact even though it was minimal.

Minutes later, Kuala Muda Naza launched a counter attack that sparked the aforementioned security concern resulting in the match having to be delayed by 20 minutes. When play was finally resumed at about 10.25pm, Kuala Muda Naza beat the Rhinos offside trap with substitute striker, Azmi Sarmin running fast from the right flank to the penalty box.

With just the keeper to beat, Azmi's blistering shot hit the side netting instead, much to the relief of the Sabah fans.

In injury time, Ramzi found Chow Chee Wing in top of the box who flicked on the ball to Ativie who could have sealed the game for Sabah but his shot also went into the side netting. The presence of the riot police in the stadium managed to put the situation under control although the jeering continued even after the final whistle.

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NO ROOM FOR ERROR

KOTA KINABALU: With less than seven matches left to play and games coming thick and fast there is little room for error at least for Sabah’s case as the Premier League race draws to an exciting climax.

Although, they are pretty much in the race for the two promotion slots to the Super League next season, but they just cannot afford any slip-ups, starting with tonight’s tie against Kuala Muda Naza at the Likas Stadium.

But on a positive note, the Rhinos have been riding high since the start of the second round campaign where they are on a four-match winning streak, with the top two teams – Police and UPB-MyTEAM among their victims.

“We are in a situation where we just cannot afford to slip any points away from our grasp. From now on, only victory will count … to keep our fight for promotion on track,” Rahman Zakaria said.

Sabah are currently in third place on 23 points in the 11-team standings – five points behind leaders Police, who have a game in hand. UPB-MyTEAM are second on 25 points.

PKNS are also on 23 points, but Sabah stay ahead of the club side on a better goal average, followed by Kuala Lumpur in fifth on 18 points.

“When you look at the standings, I think the top four or five teams are still in the hunt for the two promotion tickets to the Super League next season.

“So the teams that can maintain their consistency or rather winning momentum will be the winners at the end of the day,” the Rhinos’ team manager added.

And with Sabah taking on lowly Kuala Muda Naza and having the slight home-ground advantage, this will be an opportunity for them to climb up as both Police and UPB-MyTEAM will have a tricky night.

Police face fifth-placed Kuala Lumpur at the MPS Stadium in Selayang, while UPB-MyTEAM take on Selangor PKNS at the Shah Alam Stadium.

And if UPB-MyTEAM fumble then Sabah will have the opportunity to unseat them from the second spot with a good victory over Kuala Muda Naza.

“We are not looking for a big win. What is important now is the three points. But nevertheless, a good victory will do the team good,” Rahman said.

On their chances, Rahman said: “We are ready and prepared to face them. We know where we stand … and although we have defeated them (2-1 in the first round), we will certainly not take them lightly.

“We are not taking any chances … an all-out attacking game will be the order of the day,” said Rahman.

“I firmly believe that the coach (Drago Mamic) has his winning formula in store, and the players have been doing great in training … I’m quite confident of achieving a positive result tomorrow,” said Rahman.

Sabah will not have the services of defender Ronny Harun, who is with the national team in Australia.

But his absence is not a problem for the Rhinos as they have an adequate replacement.

Furthermore, the ever reliable Ahmad Tharmini Saiban and Nigerian Prince Eboagwu Etuwe will be around to marshal the Rhinos’ back-line.

Newly appointed skipper Rosdin Wasli is also out due to suspension, but again, as proven in the Rhinos’ last match against Pahang, youngsters Zulamri Muhamad and Hardy Charles Parsi are man enough to shoulder the responsibility.

The Rhinos’ leading striker Charles Obi is certain to start in attack alongside Price Ativie Guy.

The speedy Chow Chee Wing, S. Sunder, P. Rajes and Radzi Hussin are also likely to start the game as well with Irwan Jamil retained as the No 1 ball stopper.

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Rhinos gunning for a repeat victory

Kota Kinabalu: It will be interesting to see whether the Rhinos can repeat their first round 2-1 away victory over Kuala Muda Naza when they host the club side at the Likas Stadium today.

In their first round Premier League encounter Nigerian hitman Charles Obi scored both goals for Sabah.

Fans would want to see the home side maintain their fine run at the moment especially after thumping Super League outfit Pahang 3-0 in the Malaysia Cup last Saturday.

As Sabah vie for a top three finish in the league, beating Kuala Muda will see the team replace UPB-MyTeam in second spot, that is if MyTeam lose their fixture.

Currently, Sabah (on 23 points) are behind MyTeam (25) by two points, and trailing leaders PDRM (28) by five points.

Another team aiming for a top three finish are PKNS who are level on points with Sabah, the difference only being the goal tally.

Kuala Muda who are currently lying in eighth place with 13 points from three wins, four draws and seven losses should not be underestimated.

They have several players capable of inflicting damage such as Zimri Chin and foreign import Christian Carrasco who both have scored three goals in the league so far.

Another foreigner for the visitors, Antonio Vega is expected to partner Manzoor Azwira and Sharizan Mat Ani in providing ammunition to the strikers.

Sabah on the other hand should not rely heavily on Obi or his strike partner Prince Ijebor Ativie for goals. The recent exploits of the duo will certainly make them marked men.

Sabah's probable line-up: Irwan Jamil (GK); Prince Eboagwu Etuew, Ronny Harun, Ahmad Tharmini Saiban, Rosdin Wasli, Prince Ijiebor Ativie, S.Sunder, Chow Chee Wing, Henry Soimpon, Charles Obi, Julamri Mohd.

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FROM BOYS TO MEN

KOTA KINABALU: Rahman Zakaria has urged the Rhinos to continue fighting, insisting that the war is far from over.

“We are in the crucial stage of the season, and our fight (for honours) must go on,” the Rhinos’ team manager said.

“We are moving in the right direction. I must admit that we can finally see light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.

“I’m proud and happy to note that the team has made tremendous progress. When you look at the team, they are getting better and better with each game. So now it is important for them to maintain the good momentum.

Rahman has every right to be in a flattering mood as the Rhinos are now on the verge of qualifying for the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals after notching a comfortable victory over Pahang on Saturday.

Sabah only need one more point in their remaining match away to Police on May 26 to cruise into the knockout stage no matter what the outcome of the other matches is – which means their destiny, is pretty much in their own hands.

They are also in the FA Cup quarter-finals, and are only two points behind second-placed UPB-MyTEAM, who occupy the last slot for promotion to the Super League next season.

And that is not all, as the Rhinos are also unbeaten in their last 10 matches in the Premier League and are currently on a four-match winning streak.

And Rahman attributed the Rhinos’ great run thus far not only to the players, the team management or the fans, but also to the Head Coach Drago Mamic.

Rahman said that the Croatian who was hired early this season has transformed the team into one that can be reckoned with.

“When we look at the team, early in the season, there were no star players or any big signings. But as you can see now, he managed to turn the team around, and to achieve what he has done thus far is quite a task, but he has managed to do it.

Sabah have played a total of 24 matches thus far in all competitions, and they managed to win 12, while the other matches ended in draws (8) and four defeats – one in the Premier League and another two in the Malaysia Cup.

With their deadly striking pair of Charles Obi and Prince Ativie Guy scoring goals like nobody’s business and having a solid defence marshalled by the ever reliable Ahmad Tharmini Saiban and Prince Eboagwu Etuwe it is only a matter of time before the Rhinos finally get the rewards they deserve.

But what is more encouraging to see is Drago’s boldness in giving the youngsters first-team action.

As seen on Saturday against a side that is full of experience – Pahang – comprising either current or former national players – Drago surprisingly played youngster Zulamri Muhammad in midfield alongside Rosdin Wasli.

And when Rosdin was forced to leave the field in the 33rd minute due to injury, Drago opted for Hardy Charles Parsi to replace Rosdin instead of seasoned campaigners such as Henry Soimpon, Burhan Ajui or Zainizam Marjan, who were all on the bench.

For the record, both Zulamri and Hardy are not natural midfielders.

Zulamri is a flanker and Hardy a defender. However, the two youngsters did pretty well, and of course were supported by the experienced lads around them.

Not many coaches would take the risk of fielding inexperienced players in a crucial match like this where Sabah had to win at all costs, but Drago took the gamble by opting for the unthinkable by fielding his trusted youngsters.

“He (Drago) has developed the team really well,” said Rahman.

“We must thank him for the hard work he has put into the team. On the part of the players, they too have been marvellous. They have been working pretty hard in training. And the good thing is that they are working as one big family which I believe will bring us success this season.

“But as I have said earlier, the show must go on,” he stressed.

Against Pahang, Sabah were the better side as they outclassed their opponents in all departments.

They took a well-deserved lead in the 9th minute through Charles Obi’s spot kick.

And they could have scored more goals in the first half if not for the misses.

However, Sabah managed to extend their lead through Prince Ativie Guy’s overhead kick in the 65th minute, before Khairul Shah Mamat conceded an own goal in injury time to help Sabah record a comfortable and well deserved 3-0 victory.

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Thanks to Mamic: Rhinos' management

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah's run in this year's football season has turned for the better - thanks to chief coach Drago Mamic.

Team manager, Rahman Zakaria said the management was all praises for the Croatian coach who managed to transform the Rhinos into a team to be reckoned with this season.

Under Mamic, Sabah only lost two games in the Premier League and also two games in their Malaysia Cup campaign, so far.

The 3-nil victory over superleague outfit Pahang on Saturday demonstrated the Rhinos ability to play an attacking game under Mamic's supervision.

"We are glad to see Head Coach Mamic is able to bring about winning changes to the team," said Rahman when asked to comment on Sabah's match against Pahang on Sunday.

Indirectly, he said it has created a sort of an eye opener for other teams that Sabah should not be taken lightly.

On the chances of reaching the Malaysia Cup quarterfinals, Rahman said it looked good based on the outlook of the other groups especially Group A where third placed Kuala Lumpur had only managed to garner 12 points compared to Sabah's 15.

The points tally was important because the two best third place team would accompany the top two teams from the three groups to the last eight.

In Group C, Sabah were still in third place although the Rhinos are sharing a similar points with second place Perak and just one point behind Kedah.

Both Kedah and Perak did not play on Saturday.

In Group A, the top team Selangor were with 19 points followed by Melaka Telecom with 13 points and Kuala Lumpur with 12 points.

Sabah would enter the quarterfinals by virtue of being among the best two third-placed teams if either Telecom or Kuala Lumpur fail to win points. It may also go down to the goal difference.

Meanwhile, Group B saw Naza Negri Sembilan leading the group with 18 points, Terengganu 17 points and Melaka with 16 points.

This may change going into the last game on May 26 when Sabah face the Police in an away match.

Rahman said that while the Rhinos are comfortable, as they only need a draw against the Police to go through to the last eighth but it would not mean that the team can be complacent.

Under Coach Mamic, Sabah would go all out to secure a berth in the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Cup 2007, he said.

The Rhinos next home match would be in the Premier League against Naza Kuala Muda on May 11.

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ONE LEG IN QUARTERS

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah are only one win away from confirming their quarter-final berth after notching a comfortable 3-0 over Pahang in a Malaysia Cup Group C tie at the Likas Stadium last night.

What they need to do now is to win their final group game away to Police on May 26 to claim their ticket for the knockout stage of the prestigious tournament.

Last night Sabah produced a master class as they outclassed their opponents throughout the 90 minutes of play.

Sabah scored through striker-in-chief Charles Obi and a double by his striking partner Prince Ativie Guy.

Sabah started off pretty well and managed to take a 9th minute lead when they were awarded a spot kick.

It started from an attempt from Chow Chee Wing from inside the box during a melee when a Pahang player was caught for handsball inside the area.

Obi stepped up to take the spot kick where the lanky Nigerian hitman easily slotted home the opener defeating the hapless keeper Mohd Iqbal Mohd Suhimi.

Then in the 13th minute, Sabah could have been 2-0 up when Prince Ativie picked up a weak clearance by the keeper.

The speedy Prince Ativie played a 1-2 with Obi, but unfortunately he shot wide.

Pahang’s only attempt in the first half came in the 26th minute when Khairul Shah Mamat unleashed a 30-metre shot that Sabah young custodian Irwan Jamil palmed away for a fruitless corner.

In the 33rd minute, Sabah suffered a minor setback as skipper Rosdin Wasli was stretchered out after getting a hard knock on his knee.

Sabah’s head coach Drago Mamic brought in youngster Hardy Charles Parsi to replace Rosdin.

Despite having two rather inexperienced players in midfield with Zulamri Muhammad – a surprise choice to play in the middle of the park alongside Hardy – Sabah were still pretty lively.

On the stroke of half time, Sabah were twice denied from extending their lead with Prince Ativie’s first attempt hitting the goalpost, before he unleashed a grounder that went just wide with the keeper already beaten.

Sabah started the second half aggressively and could have found their second goal in the very first minute of the half, but once again Prince Ativie’s attempt went straight to the keeper.

Once again, Prince squandered another opportunity when he managed to intercept the ball from a weak clearance by the keeper.

He only had the keeper to beat and this time his attempt went wide yet again.

Minutes later, Prince was seen changing his boots and it seemed to bring him some kind of luck as he finally managed to help Sabah extend their lead with an overhead kick in the 65th minute.

It all started from the throw-in taken by Ronny Harun. It found Obi, who back headed the ball and out of the blue, the alert Prince Ativie showed a bit of his acrobatic skill by scoring with an overhead kick that caught the keeper off guard.

And it did not end there as Sabah continued their onslaught.

Obi was close to netting his second goal in the 70th minute after nice work from P. Rajes. However, Obi unleashed a shot that went off target.

Three minutes later, Pahang could have reduced the deficit, but Abdul Wafy Abdul Ghafar saw his attempt sail over the crossbar.

And in the 76th minute, this time it was Obi who missed a sitter. He only had the keeper to beat, but unfortunately he saw his powerful attempt from close range go wide.

Then it was Prince Ativie’s turn to waste the opportunity as his close-range attempt also went wide.

But Prince Ativie finally made amends in the closing stage of the game when a Zainizam Marjan attempt rebounded off the keeper and hit his (Prince Ativie) chest and went into the net for Sabah’s third goal of the night.

Despite the victory, Sabah remain in third on 15 points as Perak, who merely managed to settle for a two-all draw against Sarawak in another tie in Kuching, stay in second spot on better goal average.

Kedah, who will take on Police tonight, remain on top of the standings on 16 points.

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Another win for Rhinos

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos are hot on the heels of Police and UPB-MyTeam as they continue their resurgence after a slow start to their Premier League challenge.

The Rhinos, who recorded a mere two wins, five draws and two defeats in the first round, chalked up their fourth consecutive victory since the start of the second round.

The 2-0 win over Armed Forces on Labour Day at the MPS Stadium in Selayang propelled the Rhinos within two points of second-placed UPB-MyTEAM, who incidentally occupy the last slot for promotion to the Super League next season.

In Tuesday’s away game action, it was the incredible Nigerian striker Charles Obi once more and his countryman Prince Ativie Guy, who scored for Sabah.

Obi, who is the Premier League’s leading scorer with 11 goals to his credit, scored the opener after 14 minutes of play before Prince Ativie extended the lead one minute before the break.

“It was not one our best games, but what is important is the three points gained from the match,” said team manager Rahman Zakaria.

“We had a few players down with fever, but they still managed to taste action. This clearly showed their dedication and commitment to the team.

“As I have said earlier, we did not play as well as we could have, but having said that, we could have won with a bigger margin as we created more than half a dozen chances.

“But I have no complaints because we all know that the players did their very best.

“Although we tend to lose our focus at times during games, it really isn’t a big problem because I’m sure the coach will be able to iron it out.

“As long as we keep on fighting, we will be there at the end of the season, but for the moment, it is our policy to take one match at a time because we are still involved in three competitions – Premier League, Malaysia Cup and FA Cup.

“We know the tight fixtures plus the travelling we have had is taking its toll on the players, but the coach is trying his best to rotate the players.

“Even though we have a small squad, I’m delighted to see that all of them are coping well with the challenges thus far.

Police, who edged Selangor PKNS 3-1 in another match, remain unshakeable at the top of the standings on 28 points, followed by UPB-MyTEAM on 25, Sabah (23 points) and Kuala Lumpur (21).

“We are almost there, so now it is important for us to keep winning,” said Rahman on their chances of realising their quest for promotion.

“No more slip ups … and that’s the order of the day for the rest of the remaining matches ahead,” he added.

Sabah next League game is against Shahzan Muda at home on May 11, which will be followed by their FA Cup quarter-final first leg clash against Perlis on May 15.

But before the two matches, Sabah will take on Pahang in a Malaysia Cup Group C tie on May 5 (on Saturday).

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Rhinos out to cement third spot

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah continue their quest for a top three finish in the Premier League when they travel to face the Armed Forces (ATM) on Tuesday at the Selayang MPS Stadium.

After a hard-fought one-all draw against Super League leaders Kedah in the Malaysia Cup on Saturday at Likas, the Rhinos go into the match slightly battered but nevertheless are expected to show the same determination and never-say-die attitude against the host.

ATM who beat Sabah in their first round encounter at Likas will want to repeat their success to improve their position in the league. At the moment they are occupying eighth spot with 12 points from three wins, three draws and six losses.

Sabah on the other hand are in third place with 20 points, four points behind second-placed UPB-MyTeam FC (24 points) and five points behind leaders PDRM (25 points).

However, Sabah have several players who are doubtful for the match against ATM and that may give coach Drago Mamic a selection headache in choosing his starting eleven.

Fist choice goalkeeper Irwan Jamil who was rushed to the hospital after a collision with a Kedah player on Saturday was reported to be in good condition but it remains to be seen if Mamic will field the 20-year old against ATM.

If Irwan does not make it to the starting eleven, Mamic will have to rely on another youngster Harold John, who replaced Irwan against Kedah, to start in goal.

Another concern for the coach is Nigerian striker Prince Ijiebor Guy Ativie who missed the match against Kedah due to illness. Should Ativie fail to recover in time to face ATM, Mamic will have to decide on partnering leading goalscorer Charles Obi with Sylvester Sindih or play Obi as a lone striker.

It is also unclear if Zainizam Marjan who was given a rare start by Mamic against Kedah would keep his place in the starting eleven as his performance on Saturday showed that he was still far from regaining full match fitness.

That could give other players such as veteran Henry Soimpon, S. Sunder or Bobby Gonzales the chance to figure in Mamic's plan.

In defence, Ronny Harun would want to justify his call-up to the national team with another good and solid performance and with the Asian Cup just around the corner he will certainly be aiming to impress.

Sabah's probable line-up: Irwan Jamil (GK); Ronny Harun, Ahmad Tharmini Saiban, Prince Eboagwu Etuew, P.Rajes, Azrul Ejati Damsah, Chow Chee Wing, Rosdin Wasli, Slyvester Sindih, Charles Obi, Julamri Mohd.

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