True fighter: Faisal Halim back in action after three months out due to his injuries. — Selangor FC
PETALING JAYA: The smallest player on the field with the biggest heart and passion.
That best describes Selangor winger Faisal Halim as he finally made his grand entrance in the 85th minute as his team beat Kelantan 2-0 in the Super League yesterday.
He came in as the substitute for Jordanian striker Reziq Bani Hani. Faisal’s entry drew a rapturous applause and a standing ovation from the home fans as he returned to the game after three months.
He had been away after being scarred and injured due to an acid attack at a shopping mall in Damansara on May 5.
Faisal had 11 minutes of action as the match referee Mohd Munir Mohd Izam gave six minutes of injury time during the game.
The player fondly known as Mickey did not disappoint.
In the first three minutes of the game, the 26-year-old, who is just 1.58m tall, was a constant torment for the Kelantan defence with his passes and direct runs.
In the 88th minute, he could have opened his account for the season when his header off a cross from Venezuelan playmaker Yohandry Orozco hit the bar.
After the final whistle, Faisal together with his teammates walked around the stadium to acknowledge the fans.
“I am grateful. Truly grateful. This is the moment I was looking forward to. To do it in front of my family and friends, is special. And the Selangor fans, they have been amazing,” said Faisal.
“I still have time and space to further improve myself. I have lots to catch up on in terms of the game and also my quality as a player. I hope I have enough time to get back to being the player I was before.
“I want to thank the management, coaches and my teammates for assisting me these past three months. They prayed for and supported me to ensure I could return to the game.”
Chilean striker Ronnie Fernandez was the hero for the Red Giants when he scored both goals.
The first goal was a brilliant acrobatic effort when he toe-poked Bani Hani’s cross while airborne to give the Red Giants the lead.
The 33-year-old then got his second when he buried a penalty past Kelantan goalkeeper Khatul Anuar Md Jalil.
Selangor remained second in the league with 16 points from eight matches, while Kelantan are lying at the bottom spot with three from eight games.
