Football / Malaysia Cup: Terengganu riding crest of a wave
2011/10/24
By Zainuddin Muhammad
nstsport@nstp.com.my
By Zainuddin Muhammad
nstsport@nstp.com.my
IT'S now in black and white that Terengganu are the most successful team in the country this season. They won the FA Cup, finished second to Kelantan in the Super League and on Saturday, booked a place in the Malaysia Cup final after a 4-1 aggregate semi-final win over Selangor.
Along the road to Shah Alam Stadium for Saturday's final with Negri Sembilan, Terengganu crushed the hopes of defending champions Kelantan in the quarter-finals before ending Selangor's dream of winning the Malaysia Cup for a 33rd time.
Terengganu FA president Datuk Che Mat Jusoh said it took almost 10 years to bring back the glory days of football to the state.
"For a long while, we failed to secure a single trophy after winning the FA Cup for the first time in 2000 and the Malaysia Cup, also for the first time, a year later.
"But now, we are back on top again, hoping to make history as we chase an unprecedented double," he said.
Che Mat, who is also the team manager, said the state is blessed to have two teams in the Super League and Cup competitions.
"Both Terengganu and T-Team have done well this season and it was unfortunate our little brothers failed to get the better of Negri Sembilan in the Malaysia Cup semi-finals.
"Otherwise, it would have been a dream all-Terengganu final, an event which would have left the rest of the football fraternity green with envy."
Che Mat also paid tribute to the supporters who are among the main reason for Terengganu's success. "Sold-out crowds are the norm at our stadium these days and in the coming final, I have no doubt there will be a sea of black-and-white at Shah Alam Stadium."
Meanwhile, coach Irfan Bakti, who has agreed to a new two-year deal to stay in Kuala Terengganu, said his team have every chance of winning the Malaysia Cup again.
"We are solid at the back with captain Marzuki Yusof at the helm, strong in the middle with Joseph Kallang Tie, Ismail Faruqi Ashaari and Reshafiq Alwi controlling midfield, and potent up front with Manaf Mamat and Ashaari Shamsuddin scoring at will," said Irfan. "Kelantan could claim they were denied an equal chance in the first-leg quarter-final after three of their players were sent off but 32-time champions Selangor will have to admit that we have earned our right to be in the final."
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