Sports

Thursday October 29, 2009

Terengganu to miss their inspirational skipper Marzuki

By ERIC SAMUEL

PETALING JAYA: Negri Sembilan plan to exploit on a weakened Terengganu side, who will be without skipper Mohd Marzuki Yusof in the Malaysia Cup semi-final second-leg match at the Sultan Ismail Stadium in Kuala Terengganu on Saturday.

The former international is out on suspension for getting the second yellow card in the competition in the first-leg match, which the Turtles lost 0-1 at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi on Tuesday.

Striker Abdul Manaf Mamat said that it was a heavy price to pay for Terengganu to lose their pillar of strength in defence.

“It was a hard match. Now we have to hope for the boys to rise to the occasion at home to overturn the one-goal deficit and get a result to qualify for the final,” he said.

Abdul Manaf, who forms a lethal partnership in attack with Mohd Ashaari Shamsuddin, said that they would give their best in the return match in front of their partisan crowd.

“We managed to squeeze through against Selangor on penalty kicks (5-4) in the quarter-finals and now, we only have to make up a one-goal deficit to draw level with Negri,” said Manaf, who together with Ashaari have scored more than 30 goals for Terengganu thus far this season.

For Abdul Manaf, his performances have also won him a call-up to the training squad for the Laos SEA Games in December.

Former international Marzuki has been commanding in defence for Terengganu and coach Ken Worden will be hard-pressed to find an able replacement for the centreback.

Besides Mazuki, Terengganu will also not have the services of Hariri Mohd Safie, who was red-carded in the first-leg match.

Meanwhile, Negri coach Wan Jamak Wan Hassan was full of praises for his men and after they extended their winning run in the competition to nine matches.

“A one-goal win was a good result, considering the way Terengganu packed their defence,” he said yesterday.

Striker Hairuddin Omar felt that Terengganu were fortunate to escape with a narrow defeat.

“We should have buried them with a few more goals,” said Hairuddin, who is on loan from T-Team Terengganu.

Mohd Ali Shamsuddin saw his shot from close range hit the woodwork and Hairuddin and Mohd Zaquan Adha Abdul Razak also muffed sitters. The solitary goal came from Mohd Aidil Zafuan Abdul Razak, who headed in a corner kick by S. Kunalan in the 51st minute.

Hairuddin added that Terengganu would come charging at them in the return match.

“They cannot pack their defence again and it will be more an open game. Two of their key players are suspended and we have to take full advantage of it,” he said.

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