KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Selangor FC captain Muhammad Faisal Abdul Halim has urged his teammates to embrace a “nothing to lose” mentality as the Red Giants prepare for a high-octane battle to overturn a one-goal deficit in the second leg final of the Asean Club Championship (ACC) against Thailand’s Buriram United FC at Buriram Stadium, tomorrow.
The winger emphasised that the squad must enter the pitch with total conviction and insisting that the final match of the season is the ultimate stage for the players to give their absolute best for the club.
“For me, we’re already here in the final. We cannot just come here, finish the game, and go back like this. We need to fight until the end for this cup and give a good fight to our opponent,” he said in an audio recording shared after yesterday’s pre-match press conference.
Faisal further cautioned his teammates to maintain peak concentration throughout the match and warned that against a clinical side like Buriram, a momentary lapse or a repeat of past mistakes could prove fatal.
He also made a solemn promise to the supporters that the Red Giants would fight with every ounce of their character to bring the regional trophy back to Malaysia.
Meanwhile, sharing the captain’s optimism, head coach Kim Pan Gon expressed his unwavering belief that the Malaysian side possesses the tactical maturity to turn the tide against the Thai giants on their own turf.
The South Korean strategist revealed that the team has undergone a thorough post-mortem of their first-leg performance to rectify errors and refine a new blueprint specifically designed to dismantle Buriram’s setup.
Pan Gon highlighted that hunting for an early goal remains the top priority as it would not only level the aggregate score but also put immense pressure on the home side to open up their game.
“Our performance in the first leg wasn’t 100 per cent of what we have. We have talked a lot and corrected some things, and I believe our players are fully confident that we can turn back the results,” he added.
Despite the significant blow of losing key pillars like Al-Rawabdeh and Abualnadi who currently have already been spotted training with the Jordan national squad for the World Cup, Pan Gon remained defiant by asserting that Selangor’s strength lies in their collective unity rather than individual stars.
He maintained that the replacements for the missing duo have the necessary quality to step into the fray and ensuring the team’s engine continues to function effectively in what is expected to be a gruelling encounter. — Bernama
