Selangor’s injury time goal sends Negri Sembilan packing

KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor FC mounted an impressive comeback against Negri Sembilan FC (NSFC) to take home three points in their Super League match last night. 

The Red Giants came from behind to salvage a 2-1 win against their opponents at the Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium. 

It seemed to be an even match-up in the first half as both sides shared equal possession of the ball, but a challenge on NSFC’s Anselmo Arruda da Silva in the box, in added time, gave them the chance to take the advantage. 

Frenchman Herold Mark Goulon stepped up to take the spot kick and give his side the lead heading into half-time. 

It did not take long for Selangor to mount a response in the second half as frontman Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim evened the scoreline in the 55th minute. 

Tan Cheng Hoe’s men came close to taking the lead in the 63rd minute in front of 5,774 fans, but Muhammad Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi’s shot was denied by the woodwork. 

With Selangor’s hope for a win fading away in the final minutes of the match, it was defender Sharul Nazeem Zulpakar that came to the rescue for his side after his header found the back of the net in added time. 

After the match, NSFC head coach K. Devan admitted that Selangor was the stronger team heading into the match, adding that fatigue was to be blamed for his men’s drop in performance in the second half. 

“In the first half, we attacked and defended well, and managed to score a goal through a set piece. 

“But my players were tired, I could not ask more from them tonight,” he said. 

NSFC last played against Kelantan FC on April 1, and Devan said two days between matches is insufficient time for his team to recover. 

“After a match, the first and second day is used for their recovery, and on the third day, we get back into the training routine. 

“But today we already had a match on the third day after playing the previous match. It would not be a problem if we had a big squad where we could rotate our players, but we do not,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Selangor head coach Tan Cheng Hoe praised his squad’s resilience in the dying minutes of the match. 

“In the first half, we could see that the play was slow and sloppy. We were out of our rhythm, and we were not playing as a team out there. 

“But this was an important match for us, and the players did not take it easy as they dominated the second half,” he said. 

With Faisal scoring his second goal for the Red Giants, Tan hopes the 25-year-old player will stay in consistent form. 

“He (Faisal) is a game-changer in the squad. I hope that he is more composed and calmer moving forward because there is more that can come from him,” said Tan. 

Selangor’s next Super League fixture will see them take on Kelantan FC on April 9, while NSFC have a tough order as they play Sabah FC next on April 10. – The Vibes, April 5, 2023