MOHAMAD Faisal, better known as Faisal Halim and Mickey to fans, said he was informed that he would be on the team’s roster a day before the match, and although he didn’t play, he was happy to be part of the sweet victory in front of the home supporters.
“Congratulations to everyone, this victory is for all of you. What I can say is that I brought as much spirit as I could. Even though I couldn’t play because I am not fully fit yet, I could give some motivation to my teammates.
“It’s been almost three months, just a few days shy of three months since I was rested due to my injuries. I was very sad, and my return tonight at the MBPJ Stadium is a new beginning for me,“ he told reporters after the match last night, reported Bernama.
His presence proved inspirational with the Red Giants beating Terengganu 4-1, taking the team to final on the back of a 6-2 aggregate win.
They were beaten 2-3 in the first leg at the Sultan Mizan Stadium in Gong Badak on July 19.
Selangor last qualified for the final in 2018, when they were beaten by Pahang 0-2. They last won the tournament in 2009 when they beat Kelantan 4-1 in a penalty shootout, after holding each other 1-1 during regulation time.
Selangor are one of the most successful clubs in the FA Cup, winning it five times. The other club to have won it five times is Kedah.
Meanwhile, Selangor’s head coach Mohd Nidzam Jamil said Faisal was listed for two reasons: because Muhammad Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi couldn’t be fielded, and he was deemed fit after undergoing full training with the team for the past two weeks.
“I’m not crazy enough to put a player who can’t play on the list. He (Faisal Halim) has been training with us, the doctor allowed it, the physiotherapist allowed it, of course there’s a risk, even with healthy players there are risks … I took the risk to list him, and I feel it was worth it,“ he said.
Earlier, Mohamad Faisal delighted Selangor fans by making an appearance in the warm-up session ahead of the match kickoff.
He was a victim of an acid attack by an unknown individual at a shopping mall here in early May and was seen wearing a black face mask, believed to protect the healing scars from the acid burns.
Following the incident, the winner of the Best Goal Award at the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar last January suffered fourth-degree burns on several parts of his body and was treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for about 10 days before undergoing four surgeries and thereafter convalescence treatment. – August 4, 2024.
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