Sports

Tuesday April 25, 2006

Perlis banking on feel-good factor to defeat Sun Hei

By LOGANATH VELLOO

PENANG: Perlis want to ride on their feel-good factor to overcome Hong Kong’s Sun Hei in an AFC Cup match at the Stadium Utama in Kangar tonight.

Sun Hei, who drew 0-0 with Perlis in the first-round match at the Mongkok Stadium in Hong Kong a fortnight ago, could not have chosen a worse time to face the Malaysians again.

After a turbulent period, everything has gone right for the Northern Lions over the past few weeks.

Perlis are unbeaten after three matches in the AFC Cup. They are through to the FA Cup semi-finals and have moved out of the relegation zone in the Super League.

Strikers Phillimon Chepita and Zacharia Simukonda are scoring regularly again and the inclusion of midfielder Mohd Lamin Conteh has added more depth and variety to the team’s attacking play.

And the squad received another boost with the return of Abdul Rahman Ibrahim, who was reinstated as the chief coach by the Perlis FA after an enforced one-month rest.

Abdul Rahman was in charge when the Super League champions edged Selangor MPPJ 2-1 in Petaling Jaya on Saturday.

Caretaker coach Manja Man, who did a good job to steady the ship, has returned to his previous position as the assistant to Abdul Rahman.

“I would rather talk about the Sun Hei and Perlis match than about my return to the team,” said Abdul Rahman.

“Perlis are on a roll and we need to take advantage of the momentum and less pressured atmosphere within the squad now to secure another three points in the AFC Cup.

“Sun Hei have good tactical skills. But Perlis hold the edge in better overall strength and also play in a longer and tougher domestic season.”

Abdul Rahman’s only grouse for tonight’s match is the suspension of tough tackling Zambian defender Kabwe Kamuzati.

With Conteh ineligible to play in the AFC competition, the Northern Lions will have to make do with just two foreigners – Chepita and Simukonda.

Perlis lead Group E with seven points from three games. Before the goalless draw in Hong Kong, they beat Singapore’s Home United 3-2 away and New Radiant of Maldives 6-0 in Kangar.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story

Sports Poll