PETALING JAYA: Sabah winger S. Kumaahran has wished for fresh wind beneath his team’s wings for this Tamil New Year.
The Rhinos are out to snap a three-game winless run when they take on Kelantan United in the FA Cup round of 16 at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu today.
The Borneo outfit struggled in their last three Super League matches, losing to Johor Darul Ta’zim (0-4) and Kuala Lumpur (0-2), and drawing 1-1 with Negri Sembilan.
And Kumaahran is hoping to see a recharged Sabah after praying for a change in fortunes on an auspicious day.
“For this Tamil new year, I prayed at home as the temple is quite far from Kota Kinabalu. I made a simple wish that our team will bounce back strongly after a rough patch and start winning again,” said the 26-year-old Kumaahran.
It’s a selfless wish from a player who has only been used as a substitute so far, coming off the bench in five matches and providing one assist.
But whether the former Penang, Melaka and JDT player gets to play the full 90 minutes or not against Super League basement side Kelantan United, Kumaahran believes he can contribute to help Sabah get a win.
“Kelantan United will surely play with much enthusiasm as they have a lot to prove. It is usually in cup competitions that this kind of team come to life and create big upsets.
“But our preparation coming into this game has been good, and we will not take a team like this lightly.”
Kumaahran is also hoping that an impressive display by him will lead to more regular appearances for the team.
He has his work cut out when it comes to fighting for a first XI spot.
Kumaahran has to compete against the likes of Saddil Ramdani, Farhan Roslan, Jailton Paraiba, Jacob Njoku, Amri Yahyah and Maxsius Musa in his attacking role.
“We have a variety of attackers in the side, so the competition has never been tougher. All of us can only give our best but in the end, it’s the coach (Datuk Ong Kim Swee) who decides who will start.”
