MELAKA, Sept 23 ― Pahang coach Dollah Salleh called on his team to not be too comfortable despite overcoming Melaka 3-0 in the first leg quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup last night.
He said there is one more match they need to pass and so his charges must maintain their consistency in the next leg.
“Anything can happen even though we are ahead with three goals, it (mistakes) happened to Pahang before, hence, we must stay focused and consistent.
“This is something I always emphasise to the players, in football we could not be too comfortable despite being at our best performance, but we have to maintain the rhythm and the pattern,” he told reporters after the match here yesterday.
Earlier, in a match before over 5,000 spectators at the Hang Jebat Stadium, the Tok Gajah squad defeated the hosts with three goals within the first five minutes of the second half after 0-0 tie in the first half.
Pahang’s first goal was scored by Lazarus Kaimbi in the 56th minute. The second was scored two minutes later by Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria while Dickson Nwakaeme widened their lead with the third goal slotted in only three minutes later.
“I have reminded the players to change their pattern despite dominating 60 to 65 per cent of the match because if we keep following the opponent’s rhythm, we could not score till the final whistle.
“After the break, we increased the pace and that was how the players took the advantage and opportunities by accelerating the game to win this match,” he said.
Meanwhile, Melaka United coach Zainal Abidin Hassan said his team’s defeat was due to their mistake for losing focus in the first five minutes after the break that changed the outcome of the match.
However, he would stay positive with the second leg of the quarter-finals scheduled at the Darul Makmur Stadium on September 29 and they will give their best in the match. ― Bernama
