Just A Few Things: Selangor Vs. N9

Major Boost For Selangor

Selangor was on the wrong end of a four-match losing run in the league and also was almost eliminated in embarrassing fashion to KL where they needed penalties to advance to the FA Cup semis despite taking a 3-0 lead as the away team and also missing key players in a crucial double header of fixtures. Despite all this, they grind out a 2-1 victory over bottom team, Negeri Sembilan to end their torrid run of results.

This victory will be welcomed with open arms as they look to distance themselves from an unwanted relegation battle. Amri Yahyah pulled the strings to create attacking chances where one lead to the opening goal scored by Rufino Segovia and their defence had a comfortable time, although they could’ve done better about N. Thanabalan’s wonderful header. The timing of this win could not have been better as they head to Larkin Stadium for a monumental task against Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) next.

Don’t Sleep On Sean Eugene & Kugan

With Ilham Armaiyn called up for national team duty and Syahmi & Azamuddin suffered injuries, D. Kugan and Sean Eugene Selvaraj were called upon and tasked to create chaos in attack with Rufino.

Kugan was a livewire sprinting down the wings whenever he has the ball or making runs. He had two great chances that could’ve made the scoreline much more commanding, but an attempted low curler went narrowly wide and before that, was involved in a counter-attack where he made the run in the center of the box with no one close to him, only to spurn the chance wide from Amri’s low cross with the goal at his mercy. Kugan has the potential, but still needs improvement, especially his decision making.

As for Sean Eugene, he was picked for his first start and he repaid head coach Nazliazmi Nasir’s faith with a goal after turning to shoot. He made good runs in the box, decent deliveries and found himself in promising attacking positions. Hopefully for Selangor, this duo can get better. However, they will face an even bigger task when the midweek JDT game comes.

Second Transfer Window Last Chance For N9

It’s just the same old problems for Negeri. If it’s not clear then, it’s clear now: Negeri Sembilan is in for a relegation battle and Azraai Khor has his work cut out for him to lift them upwards. The Double-Treble winning head coach is doing the best that he could with the team that he has. But Nicolas Velez was kept well guarded by the commanding Willian Pacheco, Flavio Beck’s performance tonight is only mediocre, the defence was not assertive enough and their crosses & passes were only above average at best where the Selangor defence comfortably dealt with most of them. The team isn’t just good enough and hasn’t impressed at all.

But perhaps there is one period of the season where Azraai can turn things around and that is the second transfer window. He needs the reinforcements he can get to liven up the team. If he gets his recruitment right, Negeri Sembilan can stay up. If not, they’re doomed this season.

Thanabalan Deserves More Chances

It’s strange that even after encouraging displays for the national U-23 team, Thanabalan has found starting places hardly coming his way. He was named on the bench, but when he came on he delivered an instant impact. He was able to beautifully guide his diving header over Khairulazhan’s head from Noor Hazrul’s cross.

A winger by trade, he can also be positioned as a centre forward given the way he heads the ball and also look to find positions to receive the ball. This gives Azraai flexibility in planning the attacks. But Thanabalan needs the chances given to him to start week in, week out. It might as well time to let him loose in the starting line-up.