2018 Malaysia FA Cup Final Preview: Selangor v Pahang
July 7, 2018, the Shopee Piala FA 2018 Final at Stadium National Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur or the Theater of Nikmatilah. Will be the contested between Selangor and Pahang, for the first time in the Malaysia FA Cup history that these two football clubs have met on the final. There are plenty of narratives going into the final. Both teams have presented reputable cases going into the final on why they should be the deserving champions on Saturday night. However, championships are earned not given.
The road to the final for both teams have been interesting. Over six games, each team has played, statistically. Selangor has scored 14 goals and conceded five while Pahang has scored nine goals and conceded three goals. From the 14 goals that Selangor has scored, nine of them came from Rufino. As for Pahang, Patrick Cruz with has the highest tally for the east coast side with 3 goals. On the defensive side of things, statistically, Pahang is the better team only have conceded three goals over six matches. While Selangor has let in five in six.
Basic statistics tell one story, constant observations of the teams tell another story. You can learn after watching each team playing their respective way, that they have a plan A that has worked with charm, hence why each of them are in the 2018 Malaysia FA Cup Final. However, leading up to the final, quite sure that each team has prepared detail plans on during their training sessions on how to cancel the others plan A. To which, the team that has a plan B, C or D in their game management document does have a better edge over the other. Overemphasizing their plan A could work on the night, however, if it doesn't work, the team who wants it most must have a plan B ready.
During a discussion with a few avid fans a few days ago about plan A, plan B and etc, They asked what is actually plan B, if there wasn't any preparation during the training sessions leading up? Plan B could fall onto a player and a moment in the game that could light up the fans or let them down. Hence why Norshahrul Idlan could be Pahang's plan B, this season he has been a good 8 out 10 player game in and game out. Not close to the Norshahrul Idlan we knew about 7 years ago, but close enough that he has made significant improvements since joining Pahang. It seems under this coaching staff and the players around him, he has found a tonic that has rejuvenated his professional career. Could he light up Bukit Jalil on the 7th of July, we shall see.
Look closer into the two teams, there are proven winners in the squad. Each of them at one point or another who major honors with either their current team or another. Psychologically, they would want to pass on that mental edge to the younger players and inexperienced players to add professional hunger and ruthlessness when it matters the most. This game has all the ingredients to become a better spectacle compared to the 2017 Malaysia FA Cup Final that Kedah edged over Pahang 3-2. With the domestic league seemingly done and dusted, they would want to put a memorable highlight in the 2018 calendar with a cup final win and a ticket into the AFC Cup for the 2019 season.
It will be a close game to call, especially in the scenario that everyone turns up for the game, and gives a 10 out of 10 performance on the field. The fine margin will be down to the quality of the goalkeeper on the night, which gives Selangor a better chance, as they have a quality goalkeeper in Khairul Azhan, who has proven himself from time to time during big games. In the event, that the final will be down to a penalty shootout. Khairul Azhan is the better shot stopper and reader of penalty kicks. It will take a great penalty kick of the mind to deceive the Selangor goalkeeper during a mentally intense and physically tiring period of the game.