KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — The morale of the Perak team players is high ahead of the second-place decider of the 2020 Super League against Kedah this Sunday, said head coach Mehmet Durakovic.
The match to be held at the Perak Stadium, Ipoh, is the last match out of 11 following the Covid-19 pandemic for both teams in the Super League this season with Perak having collected 18 points in third place and separated by one point with Kedah in second place.
Going into the match on a positive momentum after the clash against Pahang last week and having recorded victory in the previous three games, Durakovic hopes it can spur his charges on when facing the Red Eagles squad.
“Their morale is high especially after having bounced back from 0-3 down against Pahang and eventually secured a 3-3 draw.
“I don’t want to put them under pressure as they have given their best in previous matches although this win will put us in second place on the overall,” he said in a statement issued by the Malaysian Football League (MFL) today.
Perak will be strengthened with the presence of import striker, Guiherme de Paula who is expected to recover from an upper thigh injury ahead of the action, but will have to play without team captain Shahrul Mohd Saad due to suspension.
“It’s going to be tough because Shahrul is the most important pillar in the defence. Good news is that de Paula is showing positive signs in training and there is a 50-50 chance that he will be featured against Kedah.
“I’m not too upset because in the end football is a team sport and most importantly is how my players support each other in the match later,” said the 54-year-old.
In the 2019 season, Perak finished the Super League in fifth place while Kedah in fourth.
The team that finishes second in the Super League this season will get a slot in the AFC Cup 2021 season. — Bernama
